Improving Outcomes for Military Families with Young Children: Effects of a Novel Dyadic Coaching-Based Parenting Intervention in Two Exploratory Case Studies

Abstract

This article presents an intervention model for military families with young children reintegrating after deployment that aims to strengthen parent-child relationships and improve family outcomes. The Coaching and Parent Emotion Support (CaPES) program integrates emotion and behavioural regulation principles, within an intensive, dyadic, coaching-based delivery format. We outline the application and outcomes of CaPES in two case studies of Australian Defence Force (ADF) families. The results offer preliminary evidence of the efficacy of CaPES in improving parent-child relationship quality, parental mental health and wellbeing, and children’s behavioural and emotional outcomes in military families with young children.

Keywords:

• Coaching and parent emotion support (CaPES) program
• intervention
• reintegration
• military families

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the families who participated in this study for their generosity, involvement, and time. We are very grateful for your participation without which this study could not have been possible.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This project was conducted as part of a PhD at the University of Wollongong (New South Wales, Australia) that was funded through an Australian Government Research Training Program (AGRTP) Scholarship.