Poster #90 - Building a parenting intervention together with young children with neuropsychiatric difficulties and their parents

• In Event: Poster Session 09

Abstract

Background
Children with neuropsychiatric (NP) difficulties and concurrent behavioral and emotional problems are a particularly vulnerable group. In addition to difficulties in the present, they are at risk of serious problems in the future. Parents of these children are more likely than other parents to suffer from stress and to have less confidence in their own parenting abilities. There is a dire need for early parenting support services tailored to families with younger children where the children have significant difficulties, without meeting the criteria for a specific diagnosis.

Aim
The aims in this ongoing study are to investigate the parents' concerns and needs for support as well as the family experiences of children aged 3–6 with undiagnosed NP difficulties. The interviews are part of a bottom-up approach to adapting program content in a parenting support intervention (Bornstein et al., 2022).

Method
We have conducted qualitative interviews with 10 parents (n=10). The recruitment and data collection for children are ongoing; the target is 10 interviews. All participants are recruited at a specialized child psychology clinic, where children are referred by the child health nurses because of developmental difficulties.
Parental interviews were audio-recorded. We will conduct the child-interviews using the computer-assisted interview In My Shoes (Fängström & Eriksson, 2020). Audio and video recordings of the interviews will be captured, as well as activities on the computer screen.
All interviews will be transcribed verbatim.

Data analysis plan
To get a more complete understanding of the needs for parenting support, we will triangulate the data from the parental and child interviews (Carter et al., 2014). In the first step, we will analyze the parental and child interviews separately using qualitative content analysis (Elo & Kyngäs, 2008). When analyzing children’s interviews, we will not only use the transcripts, but also additional communicative information from the child, e.g., pointing to the screen, clicking with the mouse or writing. In the next step, we will synthesize the data and identify both similarities and differences. Thus, the results of this study will be a synthesis of concepts to inform the adaptation of the parenting support intervention content.
Young children’s experiences are seldom included in designing parenting support interventions. We believe children will contribute with unique perspectives.

Clinical implications
A parenting intervention designed based on the perspectives of both children and parents is more likely to be effective. Previous research has shown that when parents' concerns, needs and motivations for participation are integrated into the intervention, family engagement and adherence increase (Olds et al., 2007). By highlighting children's perspectives, it is possible to incorporate them into the design of new interventions (Backer et al., 2017). In this way, support and assistance can also include children's own needs (Day, 2008) and increase parents' knowledge of the problems they face, which can increase parents' motivation to participate and change their behaviors (Pereira & Barros, 2019). The new parenting intervention will be offered at the specialized child psychology clinic and reach more than 100 families yearly.

Authors

• Karin Fängström, Uppsala universitet
  Presenting Author

• Anton Dahlberg, Uppsala universitet

• Raziye Salari, Uppsala universitet

• Anna Sarkadi, Uppsala University