Effectiveness of family-centered program for enhancing competencies of responsive parenting among caregivers for early childhood development in rural India

• Published in: Acta psychologica 2022-09, Vol.229, p.103669-103669, Article 103669
• Main Authors: Gaidhane, Abhay, Telrandhe, Shital, Holding, Penny, Patil, Manoj, Kogade, Priti, Jadhav, Navnita, Khatib, Mahalaqua Nazli, Zahiruddin, Quazi Syed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child development; Competencies; Knowledge; Responsive parenting; Rural India; Skills
• ISSN: 0001-6918; 1873-6297
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103669

Responsive parenting constitutes an essential part of the context in which children live and has shown a positive effect on child development in the early years of life. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of family parenting programs for enhancing competencies of responsive parenting among caregivers. Cluster-RCT in 50 Anganwadi center areas. Twenty-five intervention clusters received responsive parenting intervention. Anganwadi workers delivered sessions after support and training. We enrolled 530 mother-child dyads; 264 (49.9 %) from the intervention arm and 266 (50.1 %) from the control arm. We assessed caregivers' knowledge and skills about child development using a parenting quiz. We evaluated the effect of an intervention on the home environment, mother-child interaction, and development outcomes at the endpoint. We conducted 200 parenting sessions in 25 intervention clusters. Caregivers attended, on average, five sessions out of the nine scheduled. Caregivers with improved knowledge and skills about nutrition, shelter & care, play & stimulation for responsive parenting were significantly more in the intervention than in the control arm (p