Group Work Intervention for the Parents of Children with Mental Health Issues Admitted in the Tertiary Care Center

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to develop a structured curriculum for a group-based parenting program for parents/caregivers of children or adolescents treated in the inpatient child and adolescent mental health unit of a national health institute. METHODS Data from group session reports of 3 years of conducting group-based parenting programs in the same setting were analyzed and prominent themes of discussions were shortlisted before finally arriving at a six-session group parenting program module. RESULTS A six-session intervention module was designed by psychiatric social workers experienced in group work. The content followed combination of various theoretical approaches and methodologies ultimately aiming in improving the overall knowledge and understanding of parents or caregivers on various child and adolescent mental health issues, and enhancing their skills and competence in dealing with various emotional and behavioral problems in children. CONCLUSION Group-based parenting programs are found to be effective in improving the over psychosocial health of parents and the emotional and behavioral problems of children and adolescents as a result of better parenting. Development and standardization of culture appropriate group intervention curriculums would help in the development of this cost effective method as a medium of change.