Understanding the implementation and effectiveness of a group-based early parenting intervention: a process evaluation protocol

Abstract

BackgroundGroup-based early parenting interventions delivered through community-based services may be a potentially effective means of promoting infant and family health and wellbeing. Process evaluations of these complex interventions provide vital information on how they work, as well as the conditions which shape and influence outcomes. This information is critical to decision makers and service providers who wish to embed prevention and early interventions in usual care settings. In this paper, a process evaluation protocol for an early years parenting intervention, the Parent and Infant (PIN) program, is described. This program combines a range of developmentally-appropriate supports, delivered in a single intervention process, for parents and infants (0–2 years) and aimed at enhancing parental competence, strengthening parent-infant relationships and improving infant wellbeing and adjustment.MethodsThe process evaluation is embedded within a controlled trial and accompanying cost-effectiveness evaluation. Building from extant frameworks and evaluation methods, this paper presents a systematic approach to the process evaluation of the PIN program and its underlying change principles, the implementation of the program, the context of implementation and the change mechanisms which influence and shape parent and infant outcomes. We will use a multi-method strategy, including semi-structured interviews and group discussions with key stakeholders, documentary analysis and survey methodology.DiscussionThe integration of innovations into existing early years systems and services is a challenging multifaceted undertaking. This process evaluation will make an important contribution to knowledge about the implementation of such programs, while also providing an example of how theory-based research can be embedded within the evaluation of community-based interventions. We discuss the strengths of the research, such as the adoption of a collaborative approach to data collection, while we also identify potential challenges, including capturing and assessing complex aspects of the intervention.Trial registrationISRCTN17488830 (Date of registration: 27/11/15). This trial was retrospectively registered.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1737-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Delivering a Parenting Program in South Africa: The Impact of Implementation on Outcomes

“…In this study, as the intervention team was delivering the program for the first time, several emerging issues were communicated to the implementation team. Future process evaluations working in an effectiveness setting and with established providers are best suited to feed back all findings only at the end of the intervention (Hickey et al 2016).…”

Designing and Implementing Parenting Interventions With Latino Immigrant Families: Challenges and Strategies

“…We hope that other professionals working with Latino groups will be able to increase the effectiveness of their own programs by adopting similar strategies in their own work. Even though general strategies for the effective implementation of parenting interventions have been suggested in other publications (e.g., Hickey et al, 2016), this article is one of a very few focusing entirely on identifying and providing strategies related to the specific challenges experienced by practitioners who work with immigrant Latino parents of young children in the United States. These include (a) language barriers, (b) recruitment of families, (c) retention of families, (d) building trust and community, and (e) integrating culture into parenting interventions.…”

Family-Based Maternal Sensitivity Model as a Strategy to Optimize Family Perception on the Role of Parents and the Growth of Infants

“…The parents' role in undertaking infant care is very important because it affects the physical and mental conditions of the baby (Dokken and Ahmann, 2006;Day, Bernheimer and Weisner, 2007). The previous research shows that poor baby personality is associated with self-efficacy or parenting skills in infant care (Padden et al, 2013;Verhage et al, 2015).Therefore, it needs family support from other family members to optimally realize the parents' role (Hickey et al, 2016).Therefore, it needs powerful support from other family members in realizing the optimal parent role. Maternal Sensitivity Models (MSM) use family strength resources and family potential as key social support in enhancing the parental role so that MSM is proven to improve family perceptions on the parental role.…”