Video-feedback intervention increases sensitive parenting in ethnic minority mothers: a randomized control trial

Abstract

Using a randomized control trial design we tested the effectiveness of a culturally sensitive adaptation of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in a sample of 76 Turkish minority families in the Netherlands. The VIPP-SD was adapted based on a pilot with feedback of the target mothers, resulting in the VIPP-TM (VIPP-Turkish Minorities). The sample included families with 20–47-month-old children with high levels of externalizing problems. Maternal sensitivity, nonintrusiveness, and discipline strategies were observed during pretest and posttest home visits. The VIPP-TM was effective in increasing maternal sensitivity and nonintrusiveness, but not in enhancing discipline strategies. Applying newly learned sensitivity skills in discipline situations may take more time, especially in a cultural context that favors more authoritarian strategies. We conclude that the VIPP-SD program and its video-feedback approach can be successfully applied in immigrant families with a non-Western cultural background, with demonstrated effects on parenting sensitivity and nonintrusiveness.

Keywords:

• parenting intervention
• randomized control trial
• sensitivity
• discipline

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all parents and children who participated in our study as well as the students and research assistants who assisted in data collection and all other phases of this study. Furthermore we would like to express our special gratitude to Funda Adiyaman, Pinar Cagdas, Elif Celen, Seda Coskun, Hacer Karakus, Nazire Ozturk and Aylin Yildiz who did a tremendous job in recruiting the participants and conducting home visits.

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from ZorgOnderzoek Nederland (Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development) [Grant 15700.1011]. Further, Judi Mesman was supported by NORFACE (New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Cooperation in Europe) research programme on Migration in Europe-Social, Economic, Cultural and Policy Dynamics [Grant NORFACE-292] and Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg was supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research [VICI Grant 453-09-003].