Journal Article

Effects of a culturally tailored parenting support programme in Somali-born parents’ mental health and sense of competence in parenting: a randomised controlled trial

Osman, Fatumo, Klingberg-Allvin, Marie, Schön, Ulla-Karin, Flacking, Renée, Salari, Raziye

2017

Overview

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally tailored parenting support programme on Somali-born parents’ mental health and sense of competence in parenting.DesignRandomised controlled trial.SettingA city in the middle of Sweden.ParticipantsSomali-born parents (n=120) with children aged 11–16 years and self-perceived stress in their parenting were randomised to an intervention group (n=60) or a waiting-list control group (n=60).InterventionParents in the intervention group received culturally tailored societal information combined with the Connect parenting programme during 12 weeks for 1–2 hours per week. The intervention consisted of a standardised training programme delivered by nine group leaders of Somali background.OutcomeThe General Health Questionnaire 12 was used to measure parents’ mental health and the Parenting Sense of Competence scale to measure parent satisfaction and efficacy in the parent role. Analysis was conducted using intention-to-treat principles.ResultsThe results indicated that parents in the intervention group showed significant improvement in mental health compared with the parents in the control group at a 2-month follow-up: B=3.62, 95% CI 2.01 to 5.18, p<0.001. Further, significant improvement was found for efficacy (B=−6.72, 95% CI −8.15 to −5.28, p<0.001) and satisfaction (B=−4.48, 95% CI −6.27 to −2.69, p<0.001) for parents in the intervention group. Parents’ satisfaction mediated the intervention effect on parental mental health (β=−0.88, 95% CI −1.84 to −0.16, p=0.047).ConclusionThe culturally tailored parenting support programme led to improved mental health of Somali-born parents and their sense of competence in parenting 2 months after the intervention. The study underlines the importance of acknowledging immigrant parents’ need for societal information in parent support programmes and the importance of delivering these programmes in a culturally sensitive manner.Clinical trial registrationNCT02114593.

• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group LTD,BMJ Publishing Group
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Child / child protection / Childrens health / community child health / Culturally Competent Care - methods / Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology / Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data / Evidence-based medicine / Female / Health and Welfare / Humans / Hälsa och välfärd / Male / Mental disorders / Mental Health / Middle Aged / Minority & ethnic groups / Parenting - psychology / Parents & parenting / Parents - psychology / Program Evaluation - methods / Public health / Self Concept / Socioeconomic factors / Somalia - ethnology / Stress, Psychological - prevention & control / Stress, Psychological - psychology / Sweden