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Effectiveness of preventive support groups for children of mentally ill or addicted parents: a randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

In various countries preventive support groups are offered to children of mentally ill and/or addicted parents to reduce the risk that they will develop problems themselves. This study assessed the effectiveness of Dutch support groups for children aged 8–12 years old in terms of reducing negative cognitions; improving social support, competence, and parent–child interaction (direct intervention goals); and reducing emotional and behavioural problems (ultimate intervention aim). Children from 254 families were randomly assigned to the intervention or a control condition. Parents and children completed questionnaires at baseline and 3 and 6 months later. Emotional and behavioural problems of intervention group children were also assessed 1 year after the start. Univariate analyses of variance showed that children in the intervention group experienced a greater decrease in negative cognitions and sought more social support, immediately after participation and 3 months later, as compared to control group children. They also remained stable in their feelings of social acceptance (competence aspect) immediately after the intervention, whereas these feelings declined in control group children. The intervention and control groups both improved over time in terms of cognitions, competence, parent–child interaction and emotional and behavioural problem scores. Additional improvement in terms of problem scores was found in the intervention group 1 year after baseline. Further enhancement of effectiveness requires re-consideration of the support group goals; it should be studied whether the goals reflect the most important and influential risk and protective factors for this specific population. Besides, effects should be studied over a longer period.

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Notes

  1. 81 participants were recruited with the new strategy during the last study year.

  2. Pre-test Cronbach’s alphas are reported for all measures; post-test and follow-up test Cronbach’s alphas are comparable.

  3. Removal of the 81 experimental participants who had been recruited during the last study year did not change the outcomes of the statistical analyses.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant (62300034) from ZonMw (the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, PO Box 9104, 6500 HE, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Floor van Santvoort, Clemens M. H. Hosman, Karin T. M. van Doesum & Jan M. A. M. Janssens

  2. Pluryn, PO Box 53, 6500 AB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Floor van Santvoort

  3. Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Clemens M. H. Hosman

  4. Dimence, PO Box 390, 7400 AJ, Deventer, The Netherlands

    Karin T. M. van Doesum

Authors
  1. Floor van Santvoort
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  2. Clemens M. H. Hosman
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  3. Karin T. M. van Doesum
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  4. Jan M. A. M. Janssens
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Floor van Santvoort.

Additional information

Trial register number: ISRCTN48032451; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN48032451.

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van Santvoort, F., Hosman, C.M.H., van Doesum, K.T.M. et al. Effectiveness of preventive support groups for children of mentally ill or addicted parents: a randomized controlled trial. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 23, 473–484 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0476-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0476-9

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