Pilot study on a group-based parenting program in a Vietnamese public hospital: Program acceptance among mothers and staff

• Published in: Asia-Pacific Psychiatry 2012-03, Vol.4 (1), p.76-83
• Main Authors: Goto, Aya, Suzuki, Yuriko, Nguyen, Quang Vinh, Nguyen, Thi Tu Van, Trinh, Huu Phuc, Pham, Nghiem Minh, Nguyen, Thanh Minh, Yasumura, Seiji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hospitals; Mental health; mother; parenting; preventive psychiatry; program development; Vietnam
• ISSN: 1758-5864; 1758-5872
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1758-5872.2011.00170.x

Parenting practices are known to vary across different sociocultural settings, but there has been little scientific research conducted on parenting intervention in Asia to date. Building on our past research achievements that show a strong need for parenting support, we conducted a pilot trial of systematic screening of Vietnamese mothers with poor mental health and the provision of a group‐based parenting program, along with staff training sessions at a university‐affiliated general hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Forty‐seven first‐time mothers attending routine child health checkups were screened using a brief mental health and parenting assessment tool that we had developed and used previously. We then evaluated a group‐based parenting program provided for two consecutive days to nine participants. The framework of the Canadian Nobody's Perfect Program, which we had previously adopted and evaluated in a Japanese public health service setting, was used to develop a Vietnamese version. The screening and program were found to be well accepted by both participants and staff and are considered to be feasible for use by public hospital services in Vietnam. The process of program adaptation described and discussed herein may be useful to other health professionals in the Asia‐Pacific region undertaking similar initiatives.