Giving Vulnerable Parents a Voice: A Qualitative Synthesis of Engagement Experience in Child Maltreatment Prevention Programs

Background/Purpose: Globally, more than half of all children experience maltreatment every year. An estimated 37.4% of children under the age of 18 in the United States were reported to child protective services for alleged child maltreatment. As of 2020, although more than 407,000 children are in the foster care system, there are many issues in the child welfare system that impede children’s development (e.g., placement instability and racial disparities). One of the effective approaches to mitigate the problem of child maltreatment is through prevention programs to intervene before the child enters the child welfare system. However, parents’ consistent engagement in child maltreatment prevention programs has proven to be a significant challenge, especially for parents in high-risk families. This study used qualitative synthesis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the engagement experience from parents’ perspectives by exploring 1) the factors that influence parental engagement; and 2) the promising strategies recommended by parents to improve engagement.

Methods: The study involved a comprehensive search across multiple databases (i.e., APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, Social Sciences Abstracts, Social Work Abstracts, and Web of Science), identifying 3,447 studies published in English from 1980 to 2022. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed studies that included qualitative research methods and focused on the engagement experiences of parents in child maltreatment prevention programs. Quality assessment was conducted using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool for qualitative studies. Thematic analysis was used to synthesize key themes that emerged from the included studies.

Results: Fifty-four studies were finalized as eligible for review. The findings suggested that parents’ engagement experiences are multifaceted and influenced by various factors, such as their attitudes toward the program, perceived benefits, and the support received while participating in the programs. In addition, the review identified a range of factors that influence parent engagement in child maltreatment prevention programs, including 1) program feasibility and acceptability (e.g., parenting skills improvement, high-quality facilitators, open and non-judgmental format, and solutions to individual and structural-level barriers); 2) parents’ demographic characteristics (e.g., male caregivers, single caregivers, African American parents); and 3) perceived changes in the outcomes during the engagement process (e.g., changes in parent-child relationships, emotional regulation, increased coping strategies). The review also identified promising strategies suggested by parents to facilitate engagement in prevention programs, including 1) establishing peer support systems and connecting with other caregivers; 2) improving program delivery and incorporating culturally sensitive forms of interactions; and 3) providing home visits to address issues on site.

Conclusion and Implications: The study highlights the importance of tailoring child maltreatment prevention programs to meet the needs and expectations of parents and providing appropriate support to promote their engagement. The findings from this study can offer insights into designing and implementing child maltreatment prevention programs in the future.