Little ACF (Lilla ABC): Evaluation of a Parental Support Program for Parents of Children Aged 1-2 Years

Summary

Society can promote children's mental health at an early stage by creating good conditions with, for example, general parental support programs that are offered to all parents. One program that has been developed is called All Children in Focus (ACF) \[in Swedish: Alla Barn i Centrum (ABC)\] which has been evaluated for parents with children aged 3-12 years. The results showed effects on parenting ability, parenting strategies and on children's well-being. Staff in child health care (CHC), a natural arena for parental support programs reaching almost all families, have requested modifications in the program ACF to involve parents with younger children. The parent groups offered within CHC today are not evaluated in younger children and could be thus replaced by researched parental support based on evidence.

The investigators therefore want to study the effects of a modified version of ACF for parents of children 1-2 years (Little ACF) to see if Little ACF can strengthen parenting ability and have effects on children's social and emotional development. Parents within CHC are asked to participate and are randomly assigned to Little ACF or the regular CHC program plus a lecture. Little ACF is offered during four group meetings and potential effects are measured with questionnaires. Measurements are made before randomisation, during and after participation in Little ACF. Children's behavior is followed up at 3 years through questionnaires and CHC documentation.

The study can provide important knowledge about how Little ACF can promote children's mental health and strengthen parents. The investigators see it as a strength that Little ACF is based on research and on dialogue with parents and professionals. Little ACF, which is aimed at everyone, can form a basis for identifying families and children who need preventive and treatment measures.

Conditions

• Parental Support
• Emotion Regulation
• Coping Behavior
• Stress, Emotional
• Coparenting

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Little ACF [in Swedish: Lilla ABC]

Little ACF is a modified version of the program called All Children in Focus \[in Swedish: Alla Barn i Centrum (ABC)\] that originally is developed for parents with children 3-12 years of age. The content is based on positive developmental psychology and involves role plays, discussions and exercises to try at home with the child. Printed material will be provided to the parents at each meeting/session. Little ACF is offered once a week during four weeks. Each session is 60 minutes, thereafter the parents can stay in the facility for 30 minutes to continue discussing with each other.

BEHAVIORAL

Lectures

The lectures are pre-recorded and available during four weeks. Each lecture is 10 minutes and the content is similar to, but more superficial than, the content in Little ACF.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Swedish Research Council

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Region Stockholm

  collaborator OTHER_GOV

• Karolinska Institutet

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lene Lindberg, Ass Prof · Karolinska Institutet

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-08-01

Primary Completion

2025-12-31

Completion

2025-12-31

Countries

• Sweden

Study Locations