Pandemic Perils and Promise: Implementation of a Virtual Parenting Intervention during COVID-19 among Children with Early Neurological Conditions

ABSTRACT

Objective

In this study, we examined feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a telepsychological positive parenting intervention (I–InTERACT-North, Internet-basedInteracting Together Everyday: Recovery After Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury) during the COVID-19 pandemic among Canadian families of children at-risk for neurodevelopmental challenges given congenital or neonatal conditions. I–InTERACT-North was developed to improve behavioral and emotional outcomes in children with neurological conditions by utilizing and adapting parenting strategies from several established family-focused programmes.

Methods

A pragmatic prospective pre-post single-site pilot study design was used to assess feasibility, acceptabilty, and preliminary efficacy of I-InTERACT North during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Thirty-five families of children ages three to nine years were referred between March 2020 and January 2021. Eighteen families enrolled, and 12 (67% adherence) completed the programme. Parents reported strong therapeutic alliance and programme acceptability with barriers due to competing time demands. Therapists reported high acceptability but perceived parental burnout. Parenting confidence (d = 0.70), and child behavior (d = 1.30) improved following the intervention.

Conclusions

Results demonstrate the programme’s value to families during the pandemic, while underscoring unique participation barriers. Future research and clinicial implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Parenting
• early brain injury
• telepsychology
• COVID-19
• mental health

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of our therapists, parent advisors, and participants. We would also like to thank the Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic and Neurology teams at the Hospital’s for Sick Children for their support. We specifically thank the Hospital’s Department of Psychology for extending clinical interpreter services to optimize family inclusion for this study.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary Material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17518423.2022.2099996

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a combined COVID-19 Grant from the Garry Hurvitz-Centre for Brain and Mental Health and Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Children.