The lasting influence of parenting intervention on child behavior: findings from a randomized clinical trial using
Kasra Talebi Anaraki1, Nastaran Ghanbarian Alavijeh2, Maryam Bemanalizadeh1,3
1Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Insights
Parenting interventions using Care for Child Development (CCD) guidelines showed limited long-term impact on children's behavior. While some emotional and behavioral improvements were noted at 36 months, only sleep problems persisted at 48 months.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Pediatric Psychology
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Parenting intervention programs significantly influence early childhood development.
- The Care for Child Development (CCD) guidelines offer a framework for such interventions.
- Long-term efficacy of CCD-based parenting interventions requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the long-term efficacy of Care for Child Development (CCD) guideline interventions on children's behavioral development.
- To assess the impact of group-based parenting education on socio-emotional behavior problems.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving pregnant women and their children followed for 48 months.
- Intervention group received 5 CCD guideline-based educational sessions; control group received routine WHO childcare education.
- Children's socio-emotional behavior was assessed using the Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 18, 36, and 48 months.
Main Results:
- After 36 months, the intervention group showed significantly lower scores in emotional problems, anxiety, seclusion, sleep disorders, aggressive behavior, and total problems.
- At 48 months, only sleep problems remained significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group.
- Data from 166 participants (70 intervention, 96 control) were analyzed.
Conclusions:
- Parenting interventions delivered via group sessions based on CCD recommendations demonstrated weak long-term efficacy.
- Further research is necessary to explore the sustained effects of these parenting programs.
- The study highlights the need for refined or alternative approaches to parenting support for long-term child behavioral outcomes.
Background:
Studies have investigated the role of different parenting intervention programs in the early development of children. Here we aimed to determine the long-term efficacy of Care for Child Development (CCD) guideline interventions on behavioral dimensions of children's development.
Methods:
This randomized clinical trial took place at an outpatient public Pediatrics clinic in Isfahan, Iran from February 2020 to May 2024. Pregnant women between the ages of 18 and 45 in their third trimester were included in the study, and their children were followed for 48 months. The intervention group participated in 5 educational group sessions, each session lasting approximately 45 min. The control group underwent routine education on childcare, as suggested by WHO. The main outcome was the children's socio-emotional behavior problems using the Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 18, 36, and 48 months. The comparisons between groups were done using independent two-sample t-tests, or the Mann-Whitney test and the Chi-square test. Statistical software SPSS 22 was utilized for data analysis.
Results:
Finally, the data of 166 participants (70 in the intervention group and 96 in the control group) were included in the current study. The adjusted mean differences between the intervention and control groups significantly differed in some scales after follow-up. After 36 months of follow-up, the scores in the following aspects were significantly lower in the intervention group: emotional problems, anxiety, seclusion problems, sleep disorders, aggressive behavior, and the total problem. After 48 months, only sleep problems were significantly lower in the intervention group.
Conclusion:
According to the results of this intervention, delivering parenting interventions through group sessions according to the CCD recommendation indicated weak efficacy during long-term follow-ups. Further trials are needed to assess the effects of these programs on parents.
Trial Registration:
IRCT20190128042533N2, Date of Registration: 16 January 2020, www.irct.ir .
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