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NCT Number: NCT01845948

Effectiveness of a Parental Training Programme to Enhance Parent-child Relationship and Reduce Harsh Parenting Practices and Parental Stress in the Preparation of Children for Transition to Primary School

This study tested the effectiveness of a parental training programme to enhance parent-child relationship and reduce harsh parenting practices and parental stress in the preparation of children for transition to primary school. A randomized controlled trial was employed and 142 parents were recruited. Parents in the experimental group engaged in less harsh parenting practices and reported better parent-child relationships than parents in the control group. Findings from this study provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the parental training programme and highlight the significance of parental involvement in promoting a smooth transition for children from kindergarten to primary one.

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Key information

Conditions

Parent

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Tung Chung Integrated Services

Hong Kong, China

About this study

Introduction Transition creates a time of vulnerability for the child, the parents and their relationship. Failure to adjust to the transition, on the part of either parents or children, might place the family in a psychological devastating position. There is an imperative need to develop and evaluate appropriate interventions for parents so that they can contribute to helping their children enjoy a smooth passage to a pleasurable learning life in primary school.

Aim The aims of this study were to test the effectiveness of a parental training programme to enhance parent-child relationship and reduce harsh parenting practices and parental stress in the preparation of children for transition to primary school.

Methods A randomized controlled trial, two-group pre-test and repeated post-test, between-subjects design was employed. The method of simple complete randomization was adopted. Recruitment and data collection were conducted during the summer in 2009. Participants were recruited through referrals from the Hong Kong Sheung Kung Hui Welfare Council in Tung Chung. Written consent was obtained from parents after they were told the purposes of the study and agreed to participate. Parents were told that they were under no obligation to participate, could withdraw from the study with impunity at any time and were assured of the confidentiality of the data to be collected.

After they had signed consent forms, a research assistant collected demographic and baseline data from parents. Data collection was divided into three phases: at the time of recruitment (pre-intervention), at six weeks and three months after the intervention. Parents were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the parental acceptance-rejection scale, parental stress scale, and self-report scale on parent-child relationship in respect of the transition from kindergarten to primary school.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • must be able to read and write Chinese
  • must have had primary school education or above

Exclusion criteria

  • with identified cognitive and learning problems were excluded, as also were children with such problems

Treatment and study plan

parental training programme

Behavioral

In the experimental group, parents participated in the parental training programme approximately one month before the start of the academic year in primary school. Two social workers, who have minimum five- year experience in giving family counselling,implemented the interventions.

Placebo control

Behavioral

Parents had no intervention except that an information leaflet for parents on helping children to adapt the new primary school life published by Education Bureau was given to each parent in the control group at the end of data collection.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change of Self-reported Parent-Child Relationship at 6 weeks from baseline

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    The parent-child relationship of the participants was measured by using a self-reporting method consisting of two items, with one asking 'How satisfied are you with the parent-child relationship?" and the other 'As a parent, how satisfied are you with yourself?'

Secondary outcomes

  1. Self-reported Parent-Child Relationship at baseline

    Time frame: baseline, 0 week ( just before the start of intervention)

    The parent-child relationship of the participants was measured by using a self-reporting method consisting of two items, with one asking 'How satisfied are you with the parent-child relationship?" and the other 'As a parent, how satisfied are you with yourself?'

  2. Change of Self-reported Parent-Child Relationship at 3 months from baseline

    Time frame: 3 months

    The parent-child relationship of the participants was measured by using a self-reporting method consisting of two items, with one asking 'How satisfied are you with the parent-child relationship?" and the other 'As a parent, how satisfied are you with yourself?'

  3. Perceived Parental Aggression Scale at baseline

    Time frame: baseline, 0 week ( just before the start of intervention)

    It measures harsh parenting, i.e. physical or verbal aggression towards children

  4. change of Perceived Parental Aggression Scale at 6 weeks from baseline

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    It measures harsh parenting, i.e. physical or verbal aggression towards children

  5. change of Perceived Parental Aggression Scale at 3 months from baseline

    Time frame: 3 months

    It measures harsh parenting, i.e. physical or verbal aggression towards children

  6. Parental Stress at baseline

    Time frame: baseline, 0 week ( just before the start of intervention)

    we assess a parent's subjective feelings of strain, difficulty and dissatisfaction in reaction to stressors in the parent-child relationship

  7. change of Parental Stress at baseline at 6 weeks from baseline

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    we assess a parent's subjective feelings of strain, difficulty and dissatisfaction in reaction to stressors in the parent-child relationship

  8. change of Parental Stress at baseline at 3 months from baseline

    Time frame: 3 months

    we assess a parent's subjective feelings of strain, difficulty and dissatisfaction in reaction to stressors in the parent-child relationship

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

The University of Hong Kong

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effectiveness of a Parental Training Programme to Enhance Parent-child Relationship and Reduce Harsh Parenting Practices and Parental Stress in the Preparation of Children for Transition to Primary School: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2009
Primary completion
2009
Study completion
2009
First posted
May 3, 2013
Registry last updated
May 3, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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