Web-based Parenting Intervention for Mothers of Infants At-Risk for Maltreatment

描述(由申请人提供)：针对有虐待风险婴儿的母亲的网络育儿干预项目摘要/摘要生活在贫困中的婴儿的父母发生一系列有害后果的风险显著增加，包括发展儿童行为问题、忽视和虐待儿童、儿童学习问题和父母滥用药物。研究发现，改善育儿实践的早期干预措施有效地改善了这些结果。然而，在有效提供精神卫生服务方面存在重大障碍，特别是在农村地区。由于缺乏训练有素的专业人员，农村家庭对精神卫生服务的需求正达到危机的程度。此外，互联网使用的迅速增长为人们交流和分享思想创造了一种新的途径。这两个趋势正在推动对心理健康服务和在线支持的需求。互联网项目可以是互动的，并提供来自同行和专业人士的社会支持。通过利用多媒体技术和软件的最新进展以及通过因特网建立计算机网络的兴起，现在有机会为农村地区提供这种监测成果和远程联系的机会。之前的发育R34研究(“婴儿网”)成功地改编和试点测试了现有的经验性证明的育儿计划，通过互联网交付，并通过每周的专业接触得到加强。这项研究为40名3.5至7个月(注册时)的婴儿母亲提供了一台电脑、电脑摄像头、互联网连接和为期6个月的技术培训/支持，以评估数字翻译。母婴二人组被随机分为实验或计算机/控制条件。结果发现，幼儿行为发生了显著变化，父母养育行为呈现出积极的趋势。母亲们对电脑程序和与教练的互动都给予了很高的评价。这些令人鼓舞的发展研究结果为完全有效的随机对照试验提供了很好的经验基础。在目前的发展形式下，婴儿网成功地用英语向母亲们传递了PALS计划。在目前的研究中，我们试图扩大我们的范围，以包括说单一西班牙语的拉丁裔家庭。以PALS计划现有的西班牙语翻译为基础，我们将开发一种文化和语言上合适的婴儿网络-西班牙语干预交付工具。在这项使用实验设计的拟议应用中，我们将评估互动互联网家长培训干预与对照的影响。在俄勒冈州和堪萨斯州的农村和城市从早期Head Start计划招募人员后，200名说英语和西班牙语的母亲(分4组)将被随机分配到干预或计算机控制的条件下。家长教练将每周打电话和发电子邮件，帮助家长使用电脑，并就该项目提出问题/关注。育儿实践将成为主要结果。建议的随机对照试验设计将测试互联网育儿干预在影响育儿行为方面的有效性。 公共卫生相关性：这种基于互联网的创新互动家长教育干预将有助于促进婴儿的社会情感发展和沟通技能，以减少低收入、文化多样性家庭中虐待儿童的机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Web-based Parenting Intervention for Mothers of Infants at Risk for Maltreatment Project Summary/Abstract Parents of infants living in poverty are at significantly elevated risk of a host of detrimental outcomes, including the development of child behavior problems, neglect and abuse of children, child learning problems and parental substance abuse. Research has found that early interventions to improve parenting practices were effective to ameliorate these outcomes. Yet, there exist major obstacles to the effective delivery of mental health services, particularly in rural areas. The need of rural families for mental health services is reaching crisis proportions due to the dearth of trained professionals. In addition, the meteoric rise of Internet use has created a new avenue for people to communicate and share ideas. These two trends are helping fuel the demand for mental health services and on-line support. Internet programs can be interactive and provide social support from peers and professionals. Through the use of recent advances in multimedia technology and software as well as the rise of computer networking via the Internet, there now exists an opportunity to provide such monitoring of outcomes and remote contact for rural locations. Prior developmental R34 research ("Infant Net") successfully adapted and pilot tested an existing empirically proven parenting program, for delivery via the Internet, enhanced with weekly professional contact. This research provided 40 mothers of infants 3.5 to 7 months (at enrollment) with a computer, computer camera, Internet connection, and technical training/support for 6 months to evaluate the digital translation. Mother-infant dyads were randomized to Experimental or Computer/Control conditions. Results found significant change with infant-behavioral and positive trends were demonstrated in parenting behaviors. Mothers rated the both computer program and interaction with coaches to be very high. These encouraging developmental research results provide a very good empirical base for a fully powered randomized control trial to test effectiveness. In its developmental current form, Infant Net successfully delivered the PALS program to mothers in English. In the current study, we seek to broaden our scope to include monolingual Spanish-speaking Latino families. Using the existing Spanish-language translation of the PALS program as a foundation, we will develop a culturally and linguistically appropriate Infant Net-Spanish intervention delivery tool. In this proposed application using an experimental design, we will evaluate the impact of the interactive Internet parent training intervention as compared to control. After recruiting from Early Head Start program in rural and urban Oregon and Kansas, 200 English- and Spanish-speaking mothers (in 4 cohorts) will be randomized to either the intervention or computer-control conditions. Parent coaches will make weekly, phone calls and email to assist parents with the use of the computer and questions/concerns about the program. Parenting practices will serve as the primary outcome. The proposed randomized control trial design will test the effectiveness of an Internet parenting intervention in effecting parenting behavior. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This innovative interactive Internet-based parent education intervention will help serve to promote the social emotional development and communication skills of infants to decrease the chances of child maltreatment in low-income, culturally diverse, families.