Parent Training Program with a Child Component Helps Preschoolers

An 8-week program has multiple positive effects, for both parents and children, including reduced parental stress and increased child cognitive skills.

In imaging studies, early parental nurturance was associated with larger hippocampal size (Neuroimage 2010; 49:1144). Based on these findings, investigators hypothesized that a training program with components for parents and children (P&C) that focused on selective attention would significantly improve preschoolers' cognition. They conducted a randomized, controlled, 8-week, three-arm study in 141 children, all enrolled in a standard Head Start program (HS), who were of lower socioeconomic status, predominantly white, and aged 3 to 5 years.

Study arms were HS only, add-on P&C, or add-on Attention Boost for Children (ABC). The weekly, 2-hour P&C sessions trained parents and children separately; topics for parent sessions included stress redu…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Parent Training Program with a Child Component Helps Preschoolers

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Reviewing Author