Current studies

Triple P and Asthma

Parenting isn’t always easy and parenting a child with asthma can make the task more demanding. Asthma is very common and affects 1 in 10 children. Good treatments are available but parents can find it hard to give them and stick to their doctor’s advice.
 
Parenting an asthmatic child can lead to particular difficulties, and getting your child to take the treatment they need can be a struggle. Often parents wonder how to work out the best way to make sure their children take their medicines when they should, and their child’s illness can cause extra stress.

Children sometimes behave in difficult ways which can lead to a worsening of their symptoms, which is a worry for parents about the child being unwell. Families can end up in cycles of stress, which can make the illness more difficult to manage, and sometimes parents feel overwhelmed.

In this research project, which is funded by the NHS Research for Patient Benefit scheme, we are offering a series of 4 sessions designed to provide support for parents of young asthmatic children aged 2 to 7 years. They are based on the Triple P Positive Parenting Programme, an Australian system used around the world, which helps parents to build a strong, nurturing relationship with their child, and to find new ways of managing their children’s behaviour and emotions. This new programme for parents of young children with asthma is being studied to find out whether it will improve child behaviour, co-operation with medications and quality of life.

Triple P and Diabetes

Two new studies are testing a version of Triple P for parents of children with diabetes. As with many long term illnesses, parents face particular difficulties in helping their child manage their illness, associated changes in diet and routines, and medication most effectively. We are now recruiting to these studies, which we hope will help test new ways of helping parents to help their children live happier, healthier lives.

Baby Triple P

We are evaluating a new type of parenting support called 'Baby Triple P Positive Parenting Programme', and testing how helpful it is to new mothers who are at some risk of postnatal depression. Baby Triple P is also being trialled in Australia. If it is successful, once the work is complete, Baby Triple P will join the suite of evidence-based interventions disseminated internationally.

Triple P in Panama

There is a need to develop research on the applicability and effectiveness of Triple P program in lower-income countries. We have recently completed a study in Panama, a low-income country in Central America, to find out how acceptable parents find the resources and their intention to participate in a parenting program. Data from this study will help to guide further research into the implementation of Triple P. Panamanian parents of children ages 3-6 years old were recruited through schools and Infoplazas, which are centres, strategically located in low-income communities, in which residents get free access to internet and other types of media resources. Further studies will examine the acceptability uptake of Triple P interventions in Panama.

Parenting and the Arab culture

A new series of studies is examining the adaptations that may be necessary to optimise the provision of culturally sensitive and effective parenting interventions which are appropriate for Arab parents both in the Arabian Peninsula and in the UK. The research has begun by reviewing literature on Arab parenting culture and what interventions have successfully been administered in the Arab world, prior to intervention studies taking place.

Parenting and Bipolar Disorder

We recently ran an online study and found that an online parenting programme led to significant improvements for families with a parent with bipolar disorder. To help us understand the needs of parents better, we are now just completing an interview study for parents and children. We are very grateful to the parents and children who took part. The results will be shown here soon.

Online Studies

We have run a number of studies testing ways of using multimedia approaches, including TV and web-based information, to help parents. The Great Parenting Experiments ran research studies alongside an ITV series, “Driving Mum and Dad Mad”. The studies showed that watching a high quality TV series about parenting, which followed families taking part in an evidence-based parenting programme led to positive changes in family life for viewers.