Autoeficacia parental en la promoción de estilos de vida saludable infantilun estudio de intervención

Resumen

This study has developed, implemented and evaluated a universal positive parenting intervention focused on the development of parental competence through parental self-efficacy in order to promote healthy lifestyles in children. The methodological framework for complex intervention of the Medical Research Council has guided this work by developing its first 3 phases which are: the theoretical, the modelling and the exploratory trial phases. According to the steps, the literature review and the systematic review about parenting programmes to promote healthy lifestyles in children, contributed to the development of the theoretical framework. The principal constructs and the identification of key elements of the intervention guided the development of the logic model. The exploratory study was a randomized controlled trial of the parenting intervention to improve parental self-efficacy in the promotion of healthy lifestyles in children between 2 to 5 years old. Twenty-three parents were included in the study and then divided into two groups: intervention and control. The intervention group received six sessions based on experiential methodology about the development of children and parenting styles with examples of family’s daily lives in the promotion of healthy lifestyles according to diet, exercise and screen view. The control group received two sessions about child development and family games. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to assess the efficacy, acceptability and feasibility of the intervention based on measurements at baseline, post-intervention and after three months. Results showed a tendency towards an increase in parental self-efficacy, parenting styles and parental practice after the intervention, although it was not statistically significant. The level of improvement was not maintained at the follow up. Parents showed a high level of satisfaction with the programme. Barriers and facilitators were identified in the implementation of the intervention. This study highlights the important of helping parents in the development of their parenting role to promote healthy lifestyles in their children.