Grant: Operating Grant: Population Health Intervention Research - LOI

Although there is overwhelming evidence that parenting has a pervasive influence on the mental and physical health, and social and emotional well-being of children, parents receive little preparation for the parental role. Triple P is a parenting intervention that was recently implemented across Vancouver Island. Two unique features of Triple P are that, rather than being a single program, it is a multi-level system of parenting support that offers service at varying degree of intensity, and it is designed to be offered on a population-wide basis. Thus, the purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate Triple P using archived, population-based, administrative data sources. Two research questions will be addressed: (1) Is implementation of the multi-level and population-based Triple P Parenting Program associated with benefits to children and parents? (2) What program features and community characteristics are associated with benefits of a universal parenting program for children and parents? The research questions will be examined using administrative data sources. Community-based outcomes measures will include: (a) school readiness, kindergarten teacher assessments; (b) educational outcomes measuring numeracy, reading, and writing skills (grades 4 and 7); (c) child behaviour problems; (d) child/parent mental health conditions; and (e) rates of child abuse and neglect, foster home placements. Overall, this project provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of using population-based data to examine policy relevant issues related to child healthy development with no additional burden on participants, organizations, or service providers. It will provide valuable public health information about the efficacy of a universal parenting intervention program.