An evidenced based protocol on promoting positive parenting program (triple P) for pre-school children in Hong Kong

Abstract

Ineffective and tough parenting has been associated with physical child abuse. Parenting support would be the key component to act as a preventive measure of the problem. The evidenced based parenting intervention has proved to reduce prevalence of child abuse and children behavioural and emotional problems as well. As a result, there is a marked increased international recognition of the value of Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). Triple P is developed at University of Queensland in Australia. It is based on social learning models and proved that is effective, especially on managing early onset of children’s conduct problems by enhancing parental competence. Group Triple P is an intensive level (level 4) of Triple P. It is identified as universal parenting support program. Department of Health of Hong Kong has launched Triple P in 2002. Research was carried out to prove that it was an effective parental intervention on reducing the parental stress and enhancing the martial relationship in HK. The course is delivered by nurses only, named as accredited facilitators. However both incidence rate of child abuse and nurses’ workload are increasing dramatically in recent years. Better distributing the resources should be addressed immediately. In order to enhance the efficiency of the course with limited resources, a new protocol to improving by synthesis of the high level evidenced studies should be proposed. According to the studies’ results, the program design of Group Triple P could be modify into four group sessions instead of eight by cancellation of four telephone sessions. Thus more parents would access to the course as shortening their waiting time with better utilisation of nurses’ manpower.