Engaging parents in preventive programs for adolescent mental health: A socio‐ecological framework

Abstract

Preventive parenting programs have been demonstrated to decrease the risk of adolescent mental health problems. Despite this, recruitment and engagement rates in these programs are low, which could lead to an underreporting of the effectiveness of these programs and parents not adequately developing the key skills required to prevent mental health problems in their adolescent. We propose a framework for understanding parental initial engagement using a socio‐ecological lens, by considering a variety of factors that apply across several levels: intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy. Implications of this conceptual framework and future directions for research and practice are then discussed.

Socioeconomic factors and parents' preferences for internet- and mobile-based parenting interventions to prevent youth mental health problems: A discrete choice experiment

“…Strategies could include targeted recruitment campaigns, co-designed features and ensuring promotional materials highlight desired features ( Hansen et al, 2019 ). A recent conceptual framework of initial engagement in preventive parenting programs ( Finan and Yap, 2021 ) highlights that a socio-ecological lens may further support parental enrolment, whereby factors across several levels are targeted. Therefore, broader health promotion campaigns to support the awareness and perceived value of preventive parenting IMIs among this population may also support improved reach.…”

Development and validation of the adolescent behavioural change Counselling Assessment Tool in Indonesia

“…Within the tool, the assessment of four themes (the opening, psychosocial screening, specific behaviour-change counselling approach, and parental involvement) is consistent with our earlier identification of these themes as relevant for training in behavioural counselling. A focus on psychosocial screening is consistent with recommendations for counselling adolescents with behaviour-related health problems [ 16 , 26 , 27 ] and the foundational communication requirements with adolescent patients [ 28 , 29 ]. Parental involvement is another distinctive element of this counselling training as parents critically influence adolescent growth and development, including adolescent behaviours [ 30 , 31 ].…”

“…Other MI based assessment tools have not included specific items on the more generic aspects of counselling with adolescents. In particular, behaviour change for adolescents typically requires parent involvement due to their critical role in creating enabling home environments for healthy growth and development [ 13 , 26 , 27 ]. Notwithstanding its use in evaluating this training program that had a particular focus on weight, there is every expectation that this assessment tool could also be utilized to appraise the quality of counselling for other behavior-related health problems with adolescent patients.…”

The role of health behavior theories in parents’ initial engagement with parenting interventions.

“…This study evaluated predictors informed by theories with the most evidence to date, that is, HBM and TPB (Gonzalez et al, 2018). Even though there is an increasing number of theories of parental engagement in the context of parenting interventions (Finan & Yap, 2021; Piotrowska et al, 2016), their evidence is still underway. Given the influence of parents’ cognitions on subsequent behavior (Sheeran & Webb, 2016), it is important to consider that the engagement literature should address not only behavioral aspects of initial engagement (i.e., recruitment, enrollment, and first attendance) but also cognitions about this engagement (e.g., parents’ perceived benefits, attitudes toward the intervention, and perceived social support).…”

“…There is growing theoretical development about parental engagement with parenting and family interventions (Finan & Yap, 2021;Piotrowska et al, 2016); however, most theories have not been rigorously examined empirically. Health behavior theories are the most commonly cited theoretical approaches in the engagement literature, particularly the health belief model (HBM; Rosenstock, 1990;Rosenstock et al, 1988) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB; Ajzen, 1991).…”