Abstract
Parent-to-parent support programs have become an important part of the service system for children with chronic health conditions. Despite this growth, few empirical studies have examined the processes or outcomes of these support interventions. We review results of 3 randomized controlled trials of community-based support programs for parents of children with chronic illnesses. The 12- to 15-month programs provided informational, affirmational, and emotional support to mothers of school-aged children with chronic illnesses. Support was provided by trained "veterans" (mothers who were raising or had raised children with similar conditions). Results indicate that each program reduced anxiety in high-risk mothers assigned to the experimental group compared to their counterparts in the control group. Results are discussed in terms of "lessons learned" for research, practice, and policy.
