Evaluation of a 2-session Parent Training Programme for Caregivers of Younger Children in Zimbabwe

NCT06431321 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: WNDNOR001
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 240
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

A pilot, exploratory cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) with two arms will be conducted to test a two-session parent training programme for caregivers of children enrolled in early childhood development classes in Harare Zimbabwe. The Parenting for Lifelong Health programme for Young Children together with the Mikhulu Trust Book Sharing Programme for Young Children will be adapted into a two-session version programme named Tabudirira Parent Training Intervention for Early Childhood Development. The RCT aims to assess the following objectives: Can the programme reduce child maltreatment? Does the intervention improve parent-child engagement with reading material? How best can the 2-session programme delivery be optimised?

Conditions

Child Maltreatment

Keywords

Child Maltreatment; Parenting; Violence Against Children (VAC); Prevention; Parenting Intervention; Early Childhood Development (ECD)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Changes in frequency of child maltreatment:

  The International Child Abuse Screening Tool-Trial version (ICAST-T) measures the occurrence of respondents' discipline behaviour towards the child

  6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Changes in attitudes towards harsh parenting

  6 weeks

• Changes in not knowing what to do when a child misbehaves

  6 weeks

• Spending time with child, praising, naming emotions

  6 weeks

• Changes in time spent engaging the child in book sharing

  6 weeks

• Changes in caregiver mental health

  6 weeks

Other Outcomes (1)

• Implementation Outcomes

  6 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Parent training intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

The Tabudirira Parenting Intervention for Early Childhood Development will be delivered to parents of children aged 4-5 years in Harare, Zimbabwe. Trained facilitators will deliver the programme face to face, and a group of 15 parents will have 3 facilitators. The facilitators comprise of teachers working as guidance and counselling coordinators and psychology graduates. The programme consists of 2 sessions that will be delivered once a week over 2 weeks, with each session lasting 2.5 to 3 hours. The session will have various activities which focus on learning from each other and practising positive parenting behaviours. At the end of each session, parents will receive a home activity which allows them to practise the content taught during the session. At the end of session 2 parents will receive a parent handbook with the summary of the 2 sessions. Schools will be used as venues and the facilitators will receive ongoing mentoring and coaching during programme delivery.

Behavioral: Tabudira Parenting Intervention for Early Childhood Development

Control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The control group (8 groups with 15 parents each) will receive a one-hour session on nutrition with facilitators trained by a nutritionist focusing on children aged 4-7 years. The parents will also receive a nutrition handbook. Zimbabwe is faced with the triple burden of malnutrition: underweight, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight. There is an ongoing need to protect and promote diets, services and practices through a multi-systems approach that supports optimal nutrition, growth, and development for all children, using a parent support group can help achieve the goal. The nutrition programme has no components of positive parenting or links to the reduction of violence against children but will serve as a placebo control for the attention received by parents.

Other: Nutritional guide for younger children

Interventions

Tabudira Parenting Intervention for Early Childhood Development BEHAVIORAL

2 session programme delivered weekly over 2 weeks using group-based delivery aimed at reducing child maltreatment, improving parenting behaviours and parent's mental health.

Also known as: Parenting for Lifelong Health Young Children combined with Mikhulu Trust Book Sharing Programme - 2-Session Version

Parent training intervention

Nutritional guide for younger children OTHER

2 session programme delivered weekly over 2 weeks aimed at providing parents with nutritional education to help provide maximum nutrition to the growing child

Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Aged 18 years and above.
• Be a caregiver to a child enrolled in Early Childhood Development Grade A at a school in Harare Northern Central School district.
• Live with the child for a minimum of 5 days/ week.
• Provide informed consent before any study proceedings.

You may not qualify if:

• Aged below 18
• A child enrolled in a school outside Harare Northern Central School District
• Child not enrolled in Early Childhood Development Grade A

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Cape Town: lead
• Parenting for Lifelong Health: collaborator
• Mikhulu Trust: collaborator
• Clowns Without Borders South Africa: collaborator
• Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Zimbabwe: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Harare Northen Central School District

Harare, Zimbabwe

Location

Study Officials

• Noreen Wini Dari, MSc

  University of Capetown

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Noreen Wini Dari, MSc

CONTACT

+263 718 886340; wndnor001@myuct.ac.za

Cathrine Ward, PhD

CONTACT

+27 21 650 3422; Catherine.Ward@uct.ac.za

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Research assistants and the statistician will be blinded until the analyses are completed. The randomisation process is concealed from research assistants in order to avoid experimenter bias. Complete statistical analysis plans will be prepared before the data is locked, and analysis tactics are predetermined. Until the data are finalised, the study statistician will not be aware of the treatment assignment
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Each study arm will have 8 schools Schools will be randomly assigned to the study arm

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 8, 2024
• First Posted: May 28, 2024
• Study Start: June 7, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 15, 2024
• Study Completion: September 5, 2024
• Last Updated: May 29, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF
• Time Frame: 2026
• Access Criteria: Open

Locations

ZI (1)