title: Design of a controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Supportive Parenting ('Stevig Ouderschap'): an intervention to empower parents at increased risk of parenting problems by providing early home visits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the Netherlands, 15% of all families with children under the age of 13 years deal with significant parenting problems. Severe parenting problems may lead to adverse physical, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes for children, both in the short and long run. The intervention Supportive Parenting (in Dutch: "Stevig Ouderschap") is a preventive program, which aims to reduce the risk of (developing) parenting problems among parents at risk of these problems. The intervention consists of six additional home visits by a Youth Health Care nurse during the first 18 months after childbirth and is focusing on the following elements of parental empowerment: activating social networks, increasing parenting skills and supporting parent(s)/caregiver(s) in getting grip on their own life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled trial is performed in two regions in the Netherlands. An intervention group receives the intervention Supportive Parenting, and a control group receives 'care-as-usual'. Parents in both the intervention and control group fill out three questionnaires focusing on various elements of empowerment (social support, parenting skills, self-sufficiency and resilience), behavioral and emotional problems of the child. The effects of the intervention will be evaluated at child age 1-3 months (baseline) and child age 18 months by comparing the outcomes between the intervention group and the control group on the primary outcomes. Additionally, interviews and focus group interviews will be held to identify factors, which hinder or stimulate a wider implementation of the intervention Supportive Parenting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is hypothesized that parents at increased risk of parenting problems who receive the intervention Supportive Parenting during the first 18 months after childbirth, will have enhanced their social support networks and parenting skills, increased their self-sufficiency and strengthened resilience compared to at risk parents receiving care-as-usual. Additionally children of parents from the intervention group will display less parent-reported behavioral and emotional problems.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Netherlands Trial Register NTR5307. Registered 16 July 2015.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. e.horrevorts@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: E M B
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Horrevorts
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.vangrieken@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Grieken
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. s.broeren@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: S M L
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Broeren
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. r.bannink@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bannink
authors.affiliation: Vereniging Stevig Ouderschap, Oudewater, The Netherlands. merian@stevigouderschap.nl.
authors.forename: M B R
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bouwmeester-Landweer
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. e.hafkamp@rivas.nl.|Rivas Zorggroep, P.O. Box 90, 4200 AB, Gorinchem, The Netherlands. e.hafkamp@rivas.nl.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hafkamp-de Groen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. h.raat@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raat
mesh_terms: D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004505:Education, Nonprofessional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires