title: A pilot Web based positive parenting intervention to help bipolar parents to improve perceived parenting skills and child outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children of bipolar parents are at elevated risk for psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder. Helping bipolar parents to optimize parenting skills may improve their children's mental health outcomes. Clear evidence exists for benefits of behavioural parenting programmes, including those for depressed mothers. However, no studies have explored web-based self-directed parenting interventions for bipolar parents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this research was to conduct a pilot study of a web-based parenting intervention based on the Triple P-Positive Parenting Programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine self-diagnosed bipolar parents were randomly allocated to the web-based intervention or a waiting list control condition. Parents reported on their index child (entry criterion age 4-10 years old). Perceived parenting behaviour and child behaviour problems (internalizing and externalizing) were assessed at inception and 10 weeks later (at course completion). Fifteen participants (4 control group and 11 intervention group) did not provide follow-up data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of child behaviour problems (parent rated; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) were above clinical thresholds at baseline, and problematic perceived parenting (self-rated; Parenting Scale) was at similar levels to those in previous studies of children with clinically significant emotional and behavioural problems. Parents in the intervention group reported improvements in child behaviour problems and problematic perceived parenting compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A web-based positive parenting intervention may have benefits for bipolar parents and their children. Initial results support improvement in child behaviour and perceived parenting. A more definitive study addressing the limitations of the current work is now called for.
authors.affiliation: Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calam
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Lancaster University, UK.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Diggle
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dempsey
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Vaneeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sadhnani
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004505:Education, Nonprofessional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*