building regulations in dual generations at kidthink

Conditions: Depression; Child Development; Self-regulation

Summary: neurodevelopmental disorders (ndds) such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), autism spectrum disorder (asd), and intellectual disability (id) are the most frequently diagnosed disability in children, accounting for 7% to 14% of children in developed countries. developmental concerns emerge early, providing an opportunity to support families years before a diagnosis may occur. emerging concerns are often predictive of problems with self-regulation, risky behaviours (e.g., substance abuse and over-eating), academic achievement, social functioning, parent-child relationship, and lower overall quality of life. overall family wellbeing is also commonly affected given the increased challenges faced by parents and caregivers, including socioeconomic disadvantage. parents facing hurdles to positive parenting, such as poor psychological wellbeing, may struggle further with parenting capacity in the context of the increased parenting demands of caring for a child with specific needs. the objective of this study is to create a novel adaptation of an existing program that is targeted at improving the mental wellness and parenting practices of caregivers (mothers, fathers, guardians) with elevated symptoms of depression who have 3 to 8-year-old children with emerging behavioural, emotional, or developmental concerns. it is hypothesized that taking a dual-generation intervention approach to addressing self-regulatory mechanisms underlying psychopathology at the level of the caregiver, child, and dyad (i.e. parenting interactions) will improve both caregiver capacities and child outcomes. further, it is hypothesized that this novel adaptation of the program will be tailored to meet the identified needs of this demographic and that the program will show improvement in psychosocial, emotional, and parenting function compared to a services as usual control group. our current study will be conducted remotely due to the covid-19 pandemic to adhere to public health guidelines to reduce in-person contact and physical distance. the ultimate goal of this project is to improve parent wellbeing and promote supportive parenting practices that allow children with early developmental needs to reach their full potential.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * parents/caregivers must have a 3-8 year old child. * the child must have diagnosed or emerging behavioural, emotional, or developmental concerns, as reported by parents. * parents/caregivers must be experiencing elevated symptoms of psychological distress as measured by the patient health questionnaire 9-item (phq-9). * parents/caregivers must be 18 years of age. exclusion criteria: * child is outside of the 3-8 year old age range. * the child does not have diagnosed or emerging behavioural, emotional, or developmental concerns. * the parent or caregiver does not have full or joint custody of the child. * the parent or caregiver is not experiencing elevated symptoms of psychological distress as measured by the patient health questionnaire 9-item (phq-9). * the parent or caregiver is not 18 years of age.