Feasibility and effectiveness of a parenting programme for Mexican parents of children with acquired brain injury-Case report.

BACKGROUND: Acquired brain injury (ABI) during childhood typically causes behaviour problems in the child and high levels of stress in the family.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a parenting programme to: improve behaviour and self-regulation (SR) in Mexican children with ABI, enhance parenting skills, and decrease parental stress in parents of children with ABI; (2) to explore the impact of parent SR on child.

METHODS: Case study design with four participants post-ABI, aged 7-12 years, recruited in Mexico City. A parenting programme (Signposts for Building Better Behaviour) was delivered and provided parents with strategies to manage child behaviour. Child behaviour, child self-regulation, parental stress and parenting practices were measured before, immediately post-intervention, and three months post-intervention.

RESULTS: At immediate and three months post-intervention improvements in parenting skills, reduction in parental stress, and improvement in child behaviour were identified.

CONCLUSIONS: The programme is feasible in a Mexican population and was effective in improving parenting skills and reducing stress in parents of children with ABI, as well as improving child behaviour and behavioural SR. These domains continue improving three months after the intervention. The improvements in challenging behaviour at home did not transfer to the school environment.