Parent training support for intellectually disabled parents.
BACKGROUND
Intellectual disability may impact on an individual's capacity to parent a child effectively. Research suggests that the number of intellectually disabled people with children is increasing. Children of parents with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk of neglectful care which could lead to health, developmental and behavioural problems, or increased risk of intellectual disability.However, there is some indication that some parents with intellectual disabilities are able to provide adequate child care if they are given appropriate training and support to do so.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of parent training interventions to support the parenting of parents with intellectual disabilities


METHODS
We searched the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertation Abstracts International, MetaRegister of Controlled Trials, and ZETOC.


METHODS
Randomised controlled trials comparing parent training interventions for parents with intellectual disabilities with usual care or with a control group. Outcomes of interest were: the attainment of parenting skills specific to the intervention, safe home practices and the understanding of child health.


METHODS
Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and undertook data extraction.


RESULTS
Three trials met the inclusion criteria for this review but no meta-analysis was possible. One study reported improved maternal-child interaction following group parent training compared with the control group. The second study reported some improvements in parents knowledge of life threatening emergencies, ability to recognise dangers and identify precautions and smaller improvements in their ability to implement precautions, use medicines safely and recognise child illness and symptoms. The third study reported improvement in child care and safety skills following the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
There is some risk of bias in the included studies, with limited information available to assess possible bias and to fully assess the findings of one included study. Whilst the evidence presented here does seem promising with regard to the ability of such interventions to improve parenting knowledge and skill in this population, there is a need for larger RCTs of interventions before conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of parent training for this group of parents.
Coren
Esther
E
Department of Social Work, Community and Mental Health, Canterbury Christ Church University, North Holmes Road, Canterbury, Kent, UK, CT1 1QU.
Hutchfield
Jemeela
J
Thomae
Manuela
M
Gustafsson
Carina
C
D002648:Child; D002668:Child Rearing; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005220:Fathers / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D016487:Parenting; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012449:Safety