Group interventions for mental health and parenting in parents with adverse childhood experiences: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: This meta-analysis synthesizes the effects of group parenting interventions (GPIs) on mental health and parenting-related outcomes among parents with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Background: Parents' history of ACEs can jeopardize parental mental health and impede their children's development through dysfunctional parenting. GPIs are increasingly applied to parents with ACEs, but their effectiveness remains to be synthesized. Method: We identified 12 relevant studies that involve 709 families from PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL Plus, and Embase. The overall intervention effect size was estimated by adjusted pooled standardized mean difference using random-effects models, and moderator analyses were performed to explore the variability in intervention effects. Risks of bias and publication bias were also assessed. Results: Most of the parents in the included studies were mothers from ethnic minority groups who had limited family support and a low socioeconomic status. The average age of parents ranged from 18 to 32 years. GPIs showed small positive effects on parenting (Hedge's g = 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.22, 0.49]) and parent mental health (g = 0.34, CI [0.16, 0.53]), with some variability across the studies. Conclusion: GPIs show promising effects in improving parenting and mental health among parents who have experienced early-childhood trauma. Implications: Addressing the needs of parents with ACEs warrants a comprehensive intervention framework. Interventions for parents with ACEs should balance the focus on building healthy parent–child attachment and addressing parents' personal emotional needs.