Evaluating the Mentalization-based Treatment Lighthouse Parenting Programme: Protocol of a Feasibility and Acceptability Quasi-Experimental Study

Summary

The goal of this study is to learn whether it is practical and acceptable to deliver the Lighthouse Parenting Programme and to carry out the planned research procedures with caregivers involved with Child Protection Services. The study will also gather early information to help plan a future, larger evaluation study.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is it possible to recruit caregivers involved with Child Protection Services into this type of study?
* Can the Lighthouse Parenting Programme be delivered as intended by trained facilitators?
* Are the questionnaires and assessment procedures suitable for caregivers and sensitive to change over time?
* Is the Lighthouse Parenting Programme acceptable to caregivers and facilitators?
* Is participation in the study acceptable to caregivers?

Researchers will compare caregivers who take part in the Lighthouse Parenting Programme with caregivers who receive usual services to see whether there are early signs of change in parenting- and child-related outcomes that can inform future research.

Participants will take part in the Lighthouse Parenting Programme, consisting of 20 weekly group sessions focused on enhancing caregivers' capacity to understand their own and their child's mental states (mentalization), or will receive the usual services and supports provided by Child Protection Services. Participants will also complete questionnaires and interviews about their own experiences, parenting, and their child's wellbeing at different points during the study.

Conditions

• Being Referred for Child Protection Services

Interventions

OTHER

Lighthouse Parenting Programme

The Lighthouse Parenting Programme is a 20-session Mentalization-based Treatment (MBT) for groups of parents, that aims to reduce child maltreatment potential by increasing caregivers' mentalizing capacity. Through the use of parental mentalization-related metaphors, therapists support parents in exploring their child's attachment experiences and their own, making sense of misunderstandings in the relationship with their child, inhibiting harmful responses and repairing ruptures (Byrne et al., 2018). Sessions include psychoeducation and reflective discussions. Each Lighthouse group is composed of 8 to 12 parents. Sessions are delivered weekly by two facilitators (including at least one qualified psychologist), lasting approximately 2 hours each. Facilitators will undergo a 6-day training course, including theoretical-experiential didactic activities, led by the author of the programme. Facilitators receive weekly group clinical supervision (1.30 - 2 hours) by an MBT specialist.

OTHER

Treatment-as-usual (TAU)

Treatment-as-Usual (TAU) refers to standard support delivered at the institutions in line with routine practice, such as individual psychological support and home-visiting. TAU can be variable and tailored to each participant, therefore, intervention characteristics will be monitored and registered throughout the trial.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

  collaborator OTHER

• Universidade do Porto

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-03-01

Primary Completion

2026-12-15

Completion

2027-01-01

Countries

• Portugal

Study Locations