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MERTIL for Parents: Pilot Study of an Attachment and Trauma-Informed Online Parenting Program
Zoe C G Cloud1, Jessica E Opie1,2, Nicole Paterson1
1The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3056, Australia.
Insights
MERTIL for Parents, an online program, shows high acceptability and positive short-term outcomes in improving early relational health. The intervention enhanced parent-child relationship enjoyment, attunement, and confidence, supporting infant development.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Parenting Interventions
- Early Relational Health
Background:
- Early relational health is crucial for child development; disruptions in infant-caregiver trust pose risks.
- MERTIL for Parents is a brief, universal online program designed to enhance parental understanding of relational trust.
- This pilot study presents the first evaluation of the MERTIL for Parents program.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acceptability of the MERTIL for Parents program.
- To evaluate the short-term outcomes of the MERTIL for Parents program.
- To examine the program's impact on parental understanding and infant development.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-three parents of children aged 0-5 years participated.
- Online questionnaires were administered at baseline, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up.
- Data analysis focused on program acceptability and changes in parent-child relationship dynamics.
Main Results:
- The program demonstrated high acceptability, with 98% finding content useful and 92% deeming the length appropriate.
- Significant improvements were observed in parent-child relationship enjoyment, attunement, parenting confidence, and reduced irritability.
- Medium to large effect sizes were noted for most outcomes, with no significant changes in reflective functioning or perceived rejection.
Conclusions:
- MERTIL for Parents is a highly acceptable and promising scalable intervention for supporting early relational health.
- The program shows potential as an attachment and trauma-informed approach for diverse families.
- Future research should investigate long-term effects and broader implementation strategies.
Abstract:
Background: Early relational health is critical for childhood development, and disruptions in infant-caregiver trust can heighten risk. MERTIL for Parents is a brief, universal, online program designed to build parental understanding of relational trust and its role in infant development. This pilot study is the first evaluation of the program. Objectives: To evaluate the acceptability and short-term outcomes of MERTIL for Parents. Methods: Seventy-three parents (n = 69 mothers) of children aged 0-5 years, referred by practitioners, completed the program and online questionnaires at baseline (N = 73), post-intervention (n = 50), and three-month follow-up (n = 25). Results: The program demonstrated high acceptability: 98% of parents who engaged with the program found the content useful, 92% felt the length was appropriate, and all would recommend it to others. Program completion and satisfaction did not vary by sociodemographic or psychosocial characteristics. At three-month follow-up, parents reported significant improvements in their enjoyment of the parent-child relationship (p < 0.001), attunement to their child (p < 0.001), parenting confidence/competence (p = 0.004 and p = 0.003), help-seeking amenability (p < 0.001), and a reduction in irritability toward the child (p < 0.001), with medium to large effect sizes. No significant changes were observed for items assessing reflective functioning or perceived rejection. Conclusions: MERTIL for Parents shows strong acceptability and promising preliminary outcomes as a scalable, attachment and trauma-informed intervention supporting early relational health. Future research should examine long-term impacts and evaluate broader implementation across diverse families and service contexts.
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