Promoting Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood: Implementation and Evaluation of the VIPP-SD Parenting Intervention in Portugal

Promoting Socioemotional Development in Early Childhood: Implementation and Evaluation of the VIPP-SD Parenting Intervention in Portugal

The Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) is an attachment-based intervention aimed at promoting parental sensitivity and the use of developmentally appropriate, non-coercive discipline strategies (ref). The VIPP-SD intervention integrates the enhancement of parental sensitive responsiveness (Ainsworth et al., 1974) with parent coaching aimed at preventing coercive parent-child interaction cycles (Patterson, 1982) and facilitating sensitive limit-setting practices.ase parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline of the primary parent

Aims and hypotheses

1. The primary aim of the Growing Minds - Strengthening Affective Bonds is to demonstrate the effect of the VIPP-SD on parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline of the primary parent, 8 weeks after the intervention and six months after the intervention. It is expected that sensitivity and sensitive discipline of parents in the intervention condition will significantly increase post-intervention, compared to sensitivity and sensitive discipline of parents in the control condition, who have a similar number of ('dummy') contacts with the interveners.
2. The secondary aim of the study is to examine the efficacy of the intervention in reducing children's behavioral problems, as a function of increased parental sensitivity and the use of sensitive discipline strategies. It is expected that improvements in parenting behaviors resulting from the VIPP-SD intervention will be associated with lower levels of behavioral difficulties in children over time.
3. A third objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of the intervention on broader parenting practices and parental well-being, specifically aiming to mitigate psychopathological symptomatology. The focus will be on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety among participating parents, in line with evidence suggesting that improvements in parenting sensitivity may contribute to enhanced parental mental health.
4. Finally, the investigators will examine whether the intervention yields economic advantages for society at large. To do this, the investigators will use quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) as the unit of outcome, allowing to quantify health benefits. By comparing the QALYs associated with the intervention to those resulting from no intervention, the investigators aim to assess the cost-effectiveness and potential return on investment from a societal perspective. This analysis will help determine whether the intervention not only improves family relations but also contributes to economic efficiency by potentially reducing healthcare costs, improving productivity, and enhancing overall societal well-being

Inclusion Criteria: Children will be between 2 and 6 years old, and their parents between must be fluent in Portuguese -

Exclusion Criteria: Children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or hereditary diseases will be excluded from the study

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