Mellow Parenting: systematic review and meta-analysis of an intervention to promote sensitive parenting

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mellow Parenting

T2 - systematic review and meta-analysis of an intervention to promote sensitive parenting

AU - MacBeth, Angus

AU - Law, James

AU - McGowan, Iain

AU - Norrie, John

AU - Thompson, Lucy

AU - Wilson, Philip

N1 - © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

PY - 2015/12/1

Y1 - 2015/12/1

N2 - AIM: To review and meta-analyse Mellow Parenting interventions for parent-child dyads at high risk of adverse developmental outcomes.METHOD: Using Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we extracted all published evaluations of Mellow Parenting and Mellow Babies programmes. We identified published studies with randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental or within-subject pre-post designs. We incorporated 'grey literature' for unpublished publicly available evaluations. Effect sizes were calculated for impact of Mellow Parenting on parental mental health and child behaviour. Data were extracted on demographics, age of participants, country, and potential sources of bias.RESULTS: We identified eight papers, representing nine data sets, from five of which we calculated effect sizes. There was evidence of a medium treatment effect of Mellow Parenting compared with comparison groups on maternal well-being and child problems. Drop-out from treatment was variable. However, data were heterogeneous and there was evidence of methodological bias.INTERPRETATION: Our data give some support to claims for effectiveness of Mellow Parenting as a group intervention for families with multiple indices of developmental adversity. Given the methodological weaknesses of literature in the area, novel approaches are needed in future trials of low-budget complex interventions in non-commercial settings.

AB - AIM: To review and meta-analyse Mellow Parenting interventions for parent-child dyads at high risk of adverse developmental outcomes.METHOD: Using Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we extracted all published evaluations of Mellow Parenting and Mellow Babies programmes. We identified published studies with randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental or within-subject pre-post designs. We incorporated 'grey literature' for unpublished publicly available evaluations. Effect sizes were calculated for impact of Mellow Parenting on parental mental health and child behaviour. Data were extracted on demographics, age of participants, country, and potential sources of bias.RESULTS: We identified eight papers, representing nine data sets, from five of which we calculated effect sizes. There was evidence of a medium treatment effect of Mellow Parenting compared with comparison groups on maternal well-being and child problems. Drop-out from treatment was variable. However, data were heterogeneous and there was evidence of methodological bias.INTERPRETATION: Our data give some support to claims for effectiveness of Mellow Parenting as a group intervention for families with multiple indices of developmental adversity. Given the methodological weaknesses of literature in the area, novel approaches are needed in future trials of low-budget complex interventions in non-commercial settings.

KW - Adult

KW - Child

KW - Family Therapy/methods

KW - Humans

KW - Outcome Assessment (Health Care)

KW - Parent-Child Relations

KW - Parenting/psychology

U2 - 10.1111/dmcn.12864

DO - 10.1111/dmcn.12864

M3 - Review

C2 - 26257192

SN - 0012-1622

VL - 57

SP - 1119

EP - 1128

JO - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

JF - Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology

IS - 12

ER -