Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Parents are the primary caregivers of young children. Responsive parent–child relationships and parental support for learning during the earliest years of life are crucial for promoting early child development (ECD). We conducted a global systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of parenting interventions on ECD and parenting outcomes. Methods and findings We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Global Health Library for peer-reviewed, published articles from database inception until November 15, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of parenting interventions delivered during the first 3 years of life that evaluated at least 1 ECD outcome. At least 2 reviewers independently screened, extracted data, and assessed study quality from eligible studies. ECD outcomes included cognitive, language, motor, and socioemotional development, behavior problems, and attachment. Parenting outcomes included parenting knowledge, parenting practices, parent–child interactions, and parental depressive symptoms. We calculated intervention effect sizes as the standardized mean difference (SMD) and estimated pooled effect sizes for each outcome separately using robust variance estimation meta-analytic approaches. We used random-effects meta-regression models to assess potential effect modification by country-income level, child age, intervention content, duration, delivery, setting, and study quality. This review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018092458 and CRD42018092461). Of the 11,920 articles identified, we included 111 articles representing 102 unique RCTs. Pooled effect sizes indicated positive benefits of parenting interventions on child cognitive development (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.23, 0.40, P < 0.001), language development (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.37, P < 0.001), motor development (SMD = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.32, P < 0.001), socioemotional development (SMD = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.28, P < 0.001), and attachment (SMD = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.40, P < 0.001) and reductions in behavior problems (SMD = −0.13, 95% CI: −0.18 to −0.08, P < 0.001). Positive benefits were also found on parenting knowledge (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.33 to 0.79, P < 0.001), parenting practices (SMD = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.44, P < 0.001), and parent–child interactions (SMD = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.53, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant reduction in parental depressive symptoms (SMD = −0.07, 95% CI: −0.16 to 0.02, P = 0.08). Subgroup analyses revealed significantly greater effects on child cognitive, language, and motor development, and parenting practices in low- and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries; and significantly greater effects on child cognitive development, parenting knowledge, parenting practices, and parent–child interactions for programs that focused on responsive caregiving compared to those that did not. On the other hand, there was no clear evidence of effect modification by child age, intervention duration, delivery, setting, or study risk of bias. Study limitations include considerable unexplained heterogeneity, inadequate reporting of intervention content and implementation, and varying quality of evidence in terms of the conduct of trials and robustness of outcome measures used across studies. Conclusions Parenting interventions for children during the first 3 years of life are effective for improving ECD outcomes and enhancing parenting outcomes across low-, middle-, and high-income countries. Increasing implementation of effective and high-quality parenting interventions is needed globally and at scale in order to support parents and enable young children to achieve their full developmental potential.

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A Meta-Analysis of Parenting Practices and Child Psychosocial Outcomes in Trauma-Informed Parenting Interventions after Violence Exposure

Prevention Science ◽

10.1007/s11121-018-0943-0 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 19 (7) ◽

pp. 927-938 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sarah Lindstrom Johnson ◽

Kit Elam ◽

Adam A. Rogers ◽

Chanler Hilley

Keyword(s):

Parenting Practices ◽

Violence Exposure ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Psychosocial Outcomes ◽

Parenting Interventions ◽

Trauma Informed

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Effects of parenting interventions for mothers with depressive symptoms and an infant: systematic review and meta-analysis

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2019.89 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Signe B. Rayce ◽

Ida S. Rasmussen ◽

Mette Skovgaard Væver ◽

Maiken Pontoppidan

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Child Development ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Parenting Interventions ◽

Parent Child Relationship ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Supportive Parenting ◽

Child Relationship ◽

Parent Child

Background Postpartum depression is common in the perinatal period and poses a risk for the development of the infant and the mother–infant relationship. Infancy is a critical developmental period of life and supportive parenting is crucial for healthy development, however, the effects of interventions aimed at improving parenting among mothers with depression are uncertain. Aims To assess the effects of parenting interventions on parent–child relationship and child development among mothers with depressive symptoms with 0–12-month-old infants. Method We conducted a systematic review with the inclusion criteria: (a) randomised controlled trials of structured psychosocial parenting interventions for women with depressive symptoms and a child aged 0–12 months in Western Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, (b) minimum three sessions with at least half of these delivered postnatally and (c) outcomes relating to the parent–child-relationship and/or child development. Publications were extracted from 10 databases in September 2018 and supplemented with grey search and hand search. We assessed risk of bias, calculated effect sizes and conducted meta-analysis. Results Eight papers representing seven trials were included. We conducted meta-analysis on the post-intervention parent–child relationship. The analysis included six studies and showed no significant effect. For individual study outcomes, no significant effects on the majority of both the parent–child relationship and child development outcomes were reported. Conclusions No evidence of the effect of parenting interventions for mothers with depressive symptoms was found on the parent–child relationship and child development. Larger studies with follow-up assessments are needed, and future reviews should examine the effects in non-Western countries.

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Child dopamine active transporter 1 genotype and parenting: Evidence for evocative gene–environment correlations

Development and Psychopathology ◽

10.1017/s0954579412000971 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 163-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Elizabeth P. Hayden ◽

Brigitte Hanna ◽

Haroon I. Sheikh ◽

Rebecca S. Laptook ◽

Jiyon Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Parenting Practices ◽

Small Body ◽

Negative Emotionality ◽

Negative Parenting ◽

Repeat Allele ◽

Child Interaction ◽

Parent Child Interactions ◽

Gene Environment ◽

Parent Child

AbstractThe dopamine active transporter 1 (DAT1) gene is implicated in psychopathology risk. Although the processes by which this gene exerts its effects on risk are poorly understood, a small body of research suggests that the DAT1 gene influences early emerging negative emotionality, a marker of children's psychopathology risk. As child negative emotionality evokes negative parenting practices, the DAT1 gene may also play a role in gene–environment correlations. To test this model, children (N = 365) were genotyped for the DAT1 gene and participated in standardized parent–child interaction tasks with their primary caregiver. The DAT1 gene 9-repeat variant was associated with child negative affect expressed toward the parent during parent–child interactions, and parents of children with a 9-repeat allele exhibited more hostility and lower guidance/engagement than parents of children without a 9-repeat allele. These gene–environment associations were partially mediated by child negative affect toward the parent. The findings implicate a specific polymorphism in eliciting negative parenting, suggesting that evocative associations play a role in elevating children's risk for emotional trajectories toward psychopathology risk.

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The Association Between Peer Victimization and Attachment Security: A Meta-Analysis

Canadian Journal of School Psychology ◽

10.1177/0829573517715737 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 193-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Michelle A. Ward ◽

Kylee Clayton ◽

Jennifer Barnes ◽

Jennifer Theule

Keyword(s):

Peer Victimization ◽

Attachment Security ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Effect Sizes ◽

Child Attachment ◽

Key Variables ◽

The Relationship ◽

Significant Moderator ◽

Modest Effect ◽

Parent Child

Numerous studies have explored the relationship between parent–child attachment and peer victimization, a problem for many Canadian children and youth; however, research in this area has been mixed. The present study utilized meta-analytic procedures to clarify the relationship between parent–child attachment and peer victimization. A random effects model was used to complete these analyses. Following extensive database searches, 16 studies were found to be eligible for inclusion. A significant relationship was found between attachment security and peer victimization, r = −.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [−.18, −.10], p < .001. Sample ethnicity was the only significant moderator; samples with higher proportions of White participants had a stronger relationship between attachment and peer victimization. Although the results of this study highlight the existence of a relationship between attachment relationships and peer victimization, modest effect sizes suggest that this relationship is likely indirect, with other key variables mediating this relationship.

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