The Apapacho early childhood violence prevention parenting program: A mixed methods pilot evaluation

Parenting programs are a promising approach to prevent violence against children and promote positive parenting behaviors. We tested whether Apapacho, a violence prevention parenting program developed in a research-practice partnership, was associated with improvements in caregivers' outcomes.

We examined the short-term outcomes of Apapacho in Bogotá and Soacha, Colombia. Apapacho was integrated into the Modalidad Familiar service, operated by the National Government. Eligible participants were caregivers of children under the age of five. We collected baseline and follow-up quantitative data (one month after implementation) from 134 caregivers who participated in Apapacho and 133 caregivers selected as a comparison group (total quantitative sample: N = 267). Qualitative data were collected from 12 caregivers who participated in two focus groups and 10 who completed interviews (total qualitative sample: N = 22).

We employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Outcomes included caregivers' reported engagement in responsive caregiving and stimulation practices, mental health and well-being, and use of non-violent discipline and violent punishment. Data were analyzed using a difference-in-differences approach and thematic analysis.

Participation in Apapacho was associated with short-term improvements in beliefs about responsive caregiving (β = 0.17), reductions in approval of violent discipline (β = -0.12), and increases in stimulation (β = 0.19) and use of non-violent discipline (β = 0.12). Qualitative findings indicated that caregivers perceived improvements in their relationship with their children, greater understanding of their children's needs, increased emotional awareness and self-regulation, and greater use of non-violent discipline strategies following participation in Apapacho.

Apapacho is a promising strategy for promoting positive parenting behaviors and preventing violence against children.