Service evaluation of the Cool Little Kids parenting program delivered in the community

ABSTRACT

Objective: In university-based randomised trials the Cool Little Kids parenting group program for temperamentally inhibited preschool children reduced the risk for anxiety disorders. The present study was a ‘real world’ service-delivery evaluation to assess family effects pre-post intervention.

Method: Postgraduate clinical psychology interns received training and supervision from a clinical psychologist to deliver Cool Little Kids in socioeconomically diverse areas of Melbourne, Australia. Service evaluation participants (N = 38) were parents of children in the year before starting school who received an inhibition screening pamphlet at their preschool, self-referred into the program, and consented to complete a pre-post questionnaire to gain family case feedback. Service evaluation questionnaires were validated measures of child mental health, parenting practices and parent wellbeing, and elicited feedback on intervention acceptability.

Results: 92% of the sample (n = 35) returned the post-intervention questionnaire. 66% of parents attended most of the intervention (5–6 groups) and the rest attended at least half (3–4 groups). Pre-post findings for children were reductions in clinical internalising problems (CMFWQ 54% to 11%, p < .001; SDQ-emotional 37% to 14%, p = .008) and anxiety symptoms (all PASr subscales). Pre-post findings for parents were improvements in parenting (over-involved/protective 1.75 to 1.61, p = .005; nurturing 52.77 to 55.54, p = .025) and stress (9.52 to 7.22, p = .002). Parents’ quantitative and qualitative feedback on ‘usefulness’ of the program was highly positive.

Conclusion: This service evaluation supports implementing Cool Little Kids in the community for parents who are motivated to engage in parenting groups. Further service evaluations with low income/education and diverse cultural backgrounds would be worthwhile.

KEYWORDS:

• Child
• mental health
• anxiety
• internalising problems
• parenting
• service evaluation

Acknowledgements

We thank families who took part in this research. This research was supported the Victorian Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.