Examining the Emotional Experience of Mothers Completing an Evidence‐Based Parenting Intervention: A Grounded Theory Analysis

Abstract

Parenting interventions are a well-established treatment for addressing child behavior problems that have also been shown to improve parent psychosocial health. Yet, little is known about how caregiver emotional experiences change over time during treatment. In response, the purpose of this study was to explore the emotional experiences of mothers following their participation in an evidence-based parenting intervention. Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of existing qualitative data. The study sample included semistructured interview data from 17 mothers who previously completed the GenerationPMTO parenting intervention. Data analysis followed the grounded theory approach and included a sequential process of open, axial, and selective coding using the constant comparative method. Findings indicate mothers progressed through three distinct, yet interrelated stages of emotional experience: Before PMTO, their experiences were characterized by parenting through crisis (Stage 1); during PMTO, they transitioned to crisis stabilization (Stage 2); and following PMTO, they described experiences of emerging recovery and resilience (Stage 3). Maternal emotional experiences in each stage occurred across three contextual realms: (a) the individual (intrapersonal) level, (b) the parent-child relationship level, and the broader systemic level. Results highlight the dynamic and evolving nature of maternal emotional experience throughout various stages of the intervention process and suggest how these experiences may be associated with promoting effective parenting practices and positive child outcomes.

Feasibility and acceptability of an online parenting intervention to address behaviour problems in moderately to extremely preterm pre‐school and school‐age children

“…We assessed acceptance of the programme through a satisfaction survey that included questions about programme duration, applicability, enjoyment and other factors. We considered the programme acceptable if at least 80% of people agreed or strongly agreed with the questions provided, similar to previous research (Burek et al, 2021; Holtrop et al, 2023).…”

“…The intervention, I‐InTERACT Preterm, is well suited to address the unique needs of preterm children, given that the programme (1) is based on existing evidence‐based interventions that have proven to be efficacious in numerous developmentally and medically complex populations (Aguilar et al, 2019; Burek et al, 2021; Maggard et al, 2022; Wade et al, 2017), (2) teaches skills that are positively associated with behavioural and cognitive outcomes in preterm children (i.e., warmth, responsiveness and structure), and (3) was designed to address the unique challenges associated with preterm birth (e.g., behaviour problems, parent–child interactions and adapting parenting to match the child's needs). We hypothesized that the I‐InTERACT Preterm intervention would be feasible (>50% enrollment rate and >75% retention rate; Maggard et al, 2022) and acceptable (>80% satisfaction rate; Burek et al, 2021; Holtrop et al, 2023). As a secondary aim, we examined caregiver‐reported knowledge and skill acquisition.…”

“Since his birth, I’ve always been old” the experience of being parents to children displaying disruptive behavior problems: a qualitative study

“…PT programs based on social learning principles aim to strengthen parental self-efficacy [ 31 ]. Awareness of one’s own inner strength is associated with increased skills in parenting and promotes a greater sense of control and parental self-efficacy [ 32 ]. Parents with low parental self-efficacy perceive their children as having a multitude of behavior problems, while parents with high parental self-efficacy demonstrate more effective parenting even in the face of challenging child behavior [ 16 ].…”