A Personalized Remote Video-Feedback Universal Parenting Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

The randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of a personalized remote video feedback parenting program to improve parenting and child behavior outcomes. Ninety-two mothers of 2-6-year-old children were randomly allocated into the intervention group (n = 50) and waiting-list control group (n = 42). The Strengthening Bonds preventive program was performed to improve positive parenting. The mothers participated in one in-person group session. During six weeks, the mothers received, via smartphone, remote personalized video feedback about their mother-child interactions in a play situation. Parenting was the primary outcome, and child behavior was the secondary one. Pre-and post-intervention assessments were performed. The generalized estimating equation analysis showed no significant results in the intentionto-treat (ITT). In the treatment-on-the-treated (TOT), there were statistically significant effects of the intervention decreasing mothers' coercive parenting practices and child behavior problems. The structural equation model analysis showed that the intervention-induced reductions in children's behavior problems were mediated by improvements in coercive practices. There was a direct effect of the intervention to improve the parental sense of competence. Despite the null findings in the ITT analysis, the TOT analysis showed promising results to strengthen positive parenting behaviors and beliefs and reduce child behavior problems.

Strengthening mother-child interactions among mothers and children with behavior problems at early development

“…The sample of the present study is a subsample of 60 participants from 92 participants of the RCT study performed in 2019-2020 (Linhares et al, 2022 ). The original sample of the previous RCT study comprised 92 mothers and their children, of which 50 were from the intervention group, and 42 were from the waiting-list control.…”

“…An innovative parenting program, named Strengthening Bonds, was delivered remotely (via WhatsApp) using a video feedback strategy with customized individual video clips of mothers interacting with their children in play-situation combined with animated video clips (standard examples of positive parenting that explain essential positive dimensions of mother-child interactions) (Linhares et al, 2022 ). A randomized controlled trial using the Strengthening Bonds program showed that the intervention-induced decrease in children’s behavior problems was mediated by a reduction in maternal coercive practices; also, there was a direct effect of the intervention to improve the parental sense of competence (Linhares et al, 2022 ). However, there were no effects of this program on mother-child interaction outcomes, which could be due to the high performance of mothers’ interactive behaviors at the baseline (“ceiling effect”).…”

Iniciativas inovadoras e Primeira Infância: o desenvolvimento de programas

“…O programa Fortalecendo Laços é uma iniciativa inovadora, desenvolvida no contexto do iLab de acordo com a metodologia do IDEAS. Trata-se de um programa de promoção da parentalidade positiva, envolvendo videofeedback personalizado para mães com conteúdos sobre comportamento interativo e práticas positivas maternas e realizado de forma remota via WatsApp (Linhares et al, 2019a;Linhares et al, 2020).…”

“…O estudo randomizado controlado do Fortalecendo Laços incluiu um grupo controle de lista de espera (waiting list) e as avaliações pré-intervenção e pós-intervenção (Linhares et al, 2022).…”

“…Adicionalmente, foi realizado um estudo com uma subamostra (n=60) da amostra mais ampla do estudo randomizado do Programa Fortalecendo Laços, a fim de analisar o efeito do programa para promover interações positivas entre mães e crianças e melhorar o comportamento das crianças, em grupos diferenciados pela presença de problemas de comportamento das crianças (Linhares et al, 2022;Oliveira, 2021). Os achados deste estudo mostraram que, após a realização do programa, as mães de crianças com problemas de comportamento apresentaram uma melhora significativa no padrão interativo com as crianças, no total e na dimensão de ensino do PICCOLO, assim como houve um aumento no número de crianças com comportamento classificado na faixa de normalidade pelo SDQ.…”