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Article
Publication date: 10 June 2014

Leah Salter and Jessica Williams

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term outcomes for 15 young people on a range of indicators including school success, involvement with other agencies and the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long-term outcomes for 15 young people on a range of indicators including school success, involvement with other agencies and the perceived effectiveness by the family.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured telephone interviews were used to gather a range of both quantitative and qualitative data. Interviews were with a parent of the referred child (n=15).

Findings

In all, 87 per cent of care-givers interviewed rated the service they had received as helpful 85 per cent reported these changes to be maintained at the three year follow-up. Rate of school exclusion was only 7 per cent and 0 per cent of families went on to have involvement with statutory social services or the youth justice system.

Research limitations/implications

This is a small-scale study offering a small sample (n=15) of families previously referred to this Family Intervention Team, at a three-year post-intervention period. More routine longitudinal information needs to be gathered for a more robust indication on long-term outcomes.

Practical implications

The impact this study will have on the team involved will be in its recommendations for further long-term outcome studies; but also in feeding back to the service the significant key messages from those interviewed.

Social implications

Contributing to a wider understanding of the long-term benefits of early intervention.

Originality/value

This paper offers some new though small statistical data in the growing pool of statistics that are indicating positive outcomes for early intervention and family intervention projects.

Details

Journal of Public Mental Health, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5729

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 October 2022

Robyn E. Metcalfe, Claudia Reino, Arriell Jackson, Jean M. Kjellstrand and J. Mark Eddy

Over 2 million individuals are incarcerated in the US criminal justice system. More than half of incarcerated Americans are also parents of minors. Parental incarceration can lead…

Abstract

Over 2 million individuals are incarcerated in the US criminal justice system. More than half of incarcerated Americans are also parents of minors. Parental incarceration can lead to a higher risk of mental illness and enduring trauma in children, as well as other problematic cognitive, developmental, and educational outcomes. Examining parental incarceration through a racial equity lens is critical, as people of color make up 67% of the incarcerated population despite making up only 37% of the US population. Further, gender-related equity issues pose important challenges for families with incarcerated parents. Here, we discuss prison-based psychosocial interventions designed both to build parenting skills and to improve parent well-being within a racial and gender equity lens. We hypothesize that effective services in these areas are essential components in a broad strategy designed to mitigate the potential negative effects suffered by families and children of incarcerated parents of color as a result of their imprisonment.

Details

The Justice System and the Family: Police, Courts, and Incarceration
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80382-360-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 August 2014

Damith T. Woods, Cathy Catroppa, Celia Godfrey, Rebecca Giallo, Jan Matthews and Vicki A. Anderson

Children with acquired brain injury (ABI) are at significant risk of serious behavioural and social difficulties. The burgeoning growth of research documenting behavioural…

Abstract

Purpose

Children with acquired brain injury (ABI) are at significant risk of serious behavioural and social difficulties. The burgeoning growth of research documenting behavioural sequelae after paediatric ABI has not been met with a concomitant level of research aimed at treating the problem. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a manualised behavioural intervention support programme could reduce challenging behaviours in children with ABI and improve family-parental well-being and functioning.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 61 parents (48 mothers and 13 fathers) of 48 children aged between three and 12 years with mild, moderate, or severe ABI received an ABI adapted “Signposts for Building Better Behaviour” programme (Hudson et al., 2001) in group-support (GS) or telephone-support (TS) format. Trained “Signposts” practitioners delivered the programme over a five-month period. The programme consisted of nine information booklets, a DVD, and workbook. All families completed pre-intervention and post-intervention evaluations.

Findings

On an average parents completed 7.92 out of a possible nine intervention sessions (range 7-9). Parents in both TS and GS formats reported significant reductions in challenging child behaviours irrespective of injury severity. They also reported significant reductions in dysfunctional parenting practices, stress and family burden.

Originality/value

Overall, the current research provides support for Signposts to be used with families of children with ABI in an attempt to ameliorate negative outcomes for family, parent, and child.

Details

Social Care and Neurodisability, vol. 5 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-0919

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2018

Didde Hoeeg, Dan Grabowski and Ulla Christensen

To treat childhood obesity, health education interventions are often aimed at the whole family. However, such interventions seem to have a relatively limited effect on weight…

Abstract

Purpose

To treat childhood obesity, health education interventions are often aimed at the whole family. However, such interventions seem to have a relatively limited effect on weight loss. The purpose of this paper is to examine how families enrolled in a family-based health education intervention manage the intervention in their daily lives and to understand how and why intra-familial conflicts may occur.

Design/methodology/approach

Data consist of 10 in-depth semi-structured family interviews with 25 family members (10 children, 15 parents), who were enrolled in a family-based health education intervention for families with an obese child.

Findings

Actively involving all family members in the intervention proved difficult in many families. Often, the children experienced inconsistent family support, which led to intra-familial conflicts. When parents were unsuccessful in changing unhealthy habits, the responsibility for healthy living was often passed on to the obese child. Thus, several families managed the intervention by making specific rules that only the obese child was required to adhere to. This resulted in several children feeling stigmatized in their own family.

Practical implications

Professionals working with family-based health education interventions should understand that, in order to minimize the risk of intra-familial conflicts and stigmatization of the obese child, all family members must be equally committed to the lifestyle intervention.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature by adding specific knowledge about how and why conflicts occur in these families and what the consequences of these conflicts are.

Details

Health Education, vol. 118 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2006

Jane Barlow, Doug Simkiss and Sarah Stewart‐Brown

The aim of this article is to summarise the available evidence from systematic reviews about the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or treat child physical abuse and…

Abstract

The aim of this article is to summarise the available evidence from systematic reviews about the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or treat child physical abuse and neglect. A computerised search was undertaken of major electronic databases up to December 2005 using key search terms. Only systematic reviews were included in which the primary studies evaluated the effectiveness of targeted or indicated interventions for child physical abuse or neglect. A total of 31 systematic reviews were identified and 15 met all the inclusion criteria. They covered a range of interventions/services, including home visiting, parenting programmes, multi‐component interventions, intensive family preservation services, family‐focused casework and multi‐systemic family therapy. There was limited evidence of the effectiveness of services in improving objective measures of abuse and neglect, due in part to methodological issues involved in their measurement, but good evidence of modest benefits in improving a range of outcomes that are associated with physical abuse and neglect, including parental and family functioning and child development. The results also showed some interventions (eg. media‐based and perinatal coaching) to be ineffective with high‐risk families. The evidence provided by these reviews has clear implications for children's services in the UK and other western developed countries.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 1 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 July 2008

Philip Cowan and Carolyn Cowan

In response to what are perceived as the negative consequences for children of family change over the past century, governments in the UK and the US have devoted substantial funds…

Abstract

In response to what are perceived as the negative consequences for children of family change over the past century, governments in the UK and the US have devoted substantial funds to programmes to strengthen families, but the focus of intervention in the two countries has moved in opposite directions. In the UK, financial support has shifted away from couple strengthening to parenting programmes, while in the US financial support has shifted substantially toward couple‐focused interventions. This review article summarises studies relevant to these policy choices. We present research evidence for a multidomain family risk‐child outcome model, and then describe the results of three studies using a randomised clinical trial design to examine the impact of intervention with couples on children's adaptation. The data support the hypothesis that interventions focusing on strengthening couple relationships may have a more positive impact on families and children than interventions that focus on increasing parenting skills.

Details

Journal of Children's Services, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-6660

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2012

Susanne Pedersen, Alice Grønhøj and Tino Bech‐Larsen

Healthy‐eating socialization is often described as a bi‐directional process, but there are only few studies on children and parent's roles in the process. This paper aims to…

2218

Abstract

Purpose

Healthy‐eating socialization is often described as a bi‐directional process, but there are only few studies on children and parent's roles in the process. This paper aims to investigate children and parents' accounts of awareness and involvement in healthy eating and how they relate it to their roles in healthy‐eating socialization.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 38 families three months after a healthy‐eating intervention involving dietary advice and SMS feedback. The interviews were analysed by means of qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Children and parents identified several causes of awareness and involvement in healthy eating: new or re‐activated health knowledge, visualization of amounts, self‐regulation and planning. Children adopted two strategies in terms of family socialization: a direct strategy placing demands on parents or a cooperative strategy helping the parents. Parents initiated dialogues with family members about healthy eating and felt responsible as role models often honouring the children's demands and help.

Research limitations/implications

Findings provide a concrete empirical account of the socialization process and confirm that parents still have the superior hand, when it comes to healthy eating, but with children as active players. The authors suggest future studies to explore the development of influence and awareness of healthy eating among children and the extent to which children wish to engage in healthy‐eating socialization.

Originality/value

The study supplements previous research by including children's immediate family as a unit of analysis. By taking an intra‐familiar systemic approach to studying family socialization, future studies can take into account the family support (or lack hereof), when designing interventions and evaluating the outcomes.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 June 2016

Jeremy Segrott, Heather Rothwell, Ilaria Pignatelli, Rebecca Playle, Gillian Hewitt, Chao Huang, Simon Murphy, Matthew Hickman, Hayley Reed and Laurence Moore

Involvement of parents/carers may increase effectiveness of primary school-based alcohol-misuse prevention projects through strengthening family-based protective factors, but…

2453

Abstract

Purpose

Involvement of parents/carers may increase effectiveness of primary school-based alcohol-misuse prevention projects through strengthening family-based protective factors, but rates of parental engagement are typically low. This paper reports findings from an exploratory trial of a school-based prevention intervention – Kids, Adults Together (KAT), based on the Social Development Model, which aimed to promote pro-social family communication in order to prevent alcohol misuse, and incorporated strategies to engage parents/carers. The purpose of this paper is to assess the feasibility and value of conducting an effectiveness trial of KAT.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was a parallel-group cluster randomised exploratory trial with an embedded process evaluation. The study took place in south Wales, UK, and involved nine primary schools, 367 pupils in Years 5/6 (aged 9-11 years) and their parents/carers and teachers. Questionnaires were completed by pupils at baseline and four month follow-up, and by parents at six month follow-up.

Findings

Overall KAT was delivered with good fidelity, but two of five intervention schools withdrew from the study without completing implementation. In total, 50 per cent of eligible parents participated in the intervention, and KAT had good acceptability among pupils, parents and teachers. However, a number of “progression to effectiveness trial” criteria were not met. Intermediate outcomes on family communication (hypothesised to prevent alcohol misuse) showed insufficient evidence of an intervention effect. Difficulties were encountered in identifying age appropriate outcome measures for primary school-age children, particularly in relation to family communication processes. The study was unable to find comprehensive methodological guidance on exploratory trials.

Research limitations/implications

It would not be appropriate to conduct an effectiveness trial as key progression criteria relating to intervention and trial feasibility were not met. There is a need for new measures of family communication which are suitable for primary school-age children, and more guidance on the design and conduct of exploratory/feasibility trials.

Originality/value

KAT achieved high rates of parental involvement, and its theoretical framework and processes could be adapted by other interventions which experience difficulties with recruitment of parents/carers.

Details

Health Education, vol. 116 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 September 2014

Georgina Cairns, Richard Purves and Jennifer McKell

The purpose of this paper is to map and identify evidence for effective components of combined school and family alcohol education interventions. The paper describes current…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to map and identify evidence for effective components of combined school and family alcohol education interventions. The paper describes current practice, evaluative evidence of its effects, and highlights specific elements of school and family linked education associated with effective prevention or reduction of alcohol misuse by young people aged 11-18 years.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper takes the form of a systematic review.

Findings

The review found evidence of small positive effects for interventions delivered over short and longer term duration and low and higher levels of direct contact with students and families. Family-based elements that correlated with positive effects were targeting information and skills development, family communications, and stricter parental attitudes to alcohol misuse. School-based components which involved life skills and social norms approaches were associated with reductions in risky behaviours. Weaker evidence indicated that peer-led programmes, external delivery agents and linkages of school-based components to community-level change may strengthen combined school and family intervention programmes.

Research limitations/implications

The heterogeneity of the studies precluded the option to perform meta-analysis.

Practical implications

There is a need for more focused use of planning and evaluation tools, and especially more explicit articulation of behaviours and/or behavioural determinants targeted; the methods that will be employed and the conceptual basis for the programme design could contribute to deeper understanding amongst the intervention community of how and why impact is or is not achieved.

Social implications

Few studies provide information on the concepts, assumptions or change objectives that shape programme design. The potential benefits of combining school and family education interventions warrants further exploration.

Originality/value

The authors believe this is the first review to systematically examine objectives, design and impact of combined school and family alcohol education interventions.

Details

Health Education, vol. 114 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 June 2019

Farshid Shamsaei, Hassan Kazemian, Fatemeh Cheraghi and Maryam Farhadian

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the planned pre-electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) family teaching on depression, anxiety and stress of caregivers of patients…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the planned pre-electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) family teaching on depression, anxiety and stress of caregivers of patients with mental disorders receiving ECT.

Design/methodology/approach

In this quasi-experimental study, 130 participants were randomized allocated into intervention or control groups. The planned family teaching program consisted of four 90 min sessions held during four weeks. Assessments occurred at pre-intervention (one week before the first session), and post-intervention (one months after the four session). Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Mean comparisons were performed using Student’s t-test while effect sizes were estimated by Cohen’s d coefficient. The significance level was considered less than 0.05.

Findings

The mean scores of the depression, anxiety and stress levels in the intervention group were significantly reduced compared to the control group (p=0.001).

Originality/value

The family pre-ECT teaching intervention and counseling decreased the depression, anxiety and stress level of family caregivers of patients with mental disorders receiving ECT and the maintenance of other favorable conditions at baseline. These results suggest that even a short-term educational intervention for family members of patients received ECT can improve emotional outcomes of treatment in the family.

Details

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-6228

Keywords

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