Abstract
Objective: To develop and test the feasibility of a peer-led parenting intervention for parents of adolescent children.
Design: Formative evaluation using a mixed-method cohort design.
Setting: Socially deprived community sites in London, UK.
Participants: Parents seeking help with managing behavioural difficulties of an index adolescent child (aged 11–17 years).
Intervention: A structured, group-based intervention (‘Living with Teenagers’) delivered by trained peer facilitators.
Main outcome measures: We assessed feasibility in terms of uptake and completion rates (% parents completing ≥5 sessions); social validity (assessed by
service satisfaction measure and participant interviews); and potential for impact (assessed by parent-reported measures of adolescent behaviour and mental health, parenting satisfaction, expressed emotion, and disciplinary practices).
Results: Participants (n=41) were predominately (79%) from minority ethnic backgrounds and nearly half were lone parents. Most had not previously accessed a structured parenting programme. The completion rate was 71%. Significant changes (p<0.05) were observed in reduced parental concern about adolescent problems, increased parenting satisfaction and less negative
expressed emotion. There were non-significant changes in disciplinary practices and adolescent mental health. Participants were highly satisfied with their service
experience and endorsed the acceptability of the intervention’s content, materials and peer-led format, while suggesting an expanded number of sessions and more skills practice and demonstrations.
Conclusions: Peer-led parenting groups are feasible and potentially effective for supporting parents of adolescents living in socially disadvantaged communities. These findings warrant more rigorous testing under controlled conditions.
Design: Formative evaluation using a mixed-method cohort design.
Setting: Socially deprived community sites in London, UK.
Participants: Parents seeking help with managing behavioural difficulties of an index adolescent child (aged 11–17 years).
Intervention: A structured, group-based intervention (‘Living with Teenagers’) delivered by trained peer facilitators.
Main outcome measures: We assessed feasibility in terms of uptake and completion rates (% parents completing ≥5 sessions); social validity (assessed by
service satisfaction measure and participant interviews); and potential for impact (assessed by parent-reported measures of adolescent behaviour and mental health, parenting satisfaction, expressed emotion, and disciplinary practices).
Results: Participants (n=41) were predominately (79%) from minority ethnic backgrounds and nearly half were lone parents. Most had not previously accessed a structured parenting programme. The completion rate was 71%. Significant changes (p<0.05) were observed in reduced parental concern about adolescent problems, increased parenting satisfaction and less negative
expressed emotion. There were non-significant changes in disciplinary practices and adolescent mental health. Participants were highly satisfied with their service
experience and endorsed the acceptability of the intervention’s content, materials and peer-led format, while suggesting an expanded number of sessions and more skills practice and demonstrations.
Conclusions: Peer-led parenting groups are feasible and potentially effective for supporting parents of adolescents living in socially disadvantaged communities. These findings warrant more rigorous testing under controlled conditions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 731-737 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Archives of Disease in Childhood |
| Volume | 99 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Apr 2014 |
