Intervention development, process evaluation and feasibility study of a home and school positive behaviour management programme in Northern Irish pre-school settings

Abstract

Background
Research denotes that problematic child behaviour can impact negatively upon caregiver well-being. Decreased well-being increases use of harsh and punitive discipline measures with such measures exacerbating negative child behaviour, and; thus, negative cycles are created. Evidence suggests that interventions can positively impact upon psychological factors and inter-personal relations of caregivers, resulting in the establishment of positive behaviour management practices, and subsequently improving child behaviour. Despite a broad academic literature-base in this field, gaps exist in relation to intervention development and combined home and school approaches to behaviour management.

Aims
High 5! is a combined home and school positive behaviour management programme. This research aims to document intervention development and evaluate the readiness of the High 5! programme and study design for future upscale.

Methods
Intervention development was informed by the findings of a realist literature review. The programme logic model was tested via a process evaluation that employed a sequential study design, using quantitative and qualitative methods, and a qualitative feasibility study. The study incorporated a six-arm RCT design and was conducted with 27 practitioners and 89 parents of children aged three to four years attending Northern Irish pre-school settings. Quantitative outcomes pertaining to caregiver efficacy were measured using A Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy (TOPSE) and the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES), and those relating to levels of stress via the Parenting Stress Index (PSI-4-SF) and Teacher Stress and Coping Items (TSCI). Quantitative outcomes were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with total scores and total subscale scores reported for each outcome measure. Qualitative data pertaining to positive parenting practices, parent-child dyads and child behaviour was collected via semi-structured interview and thematically analysed using NVivo computer analysis software.

Findings
The High 5! Programme and study design was unanimously viewed to be socially valid by all participants, with the intervention specifically perceived by practitioners to be a welcome refresher course on existing good practice. An adaptive and blended learning approach was considered optimal and should inform further intervention development. Minor amendments are required for future study upscale, including use of alternate modes of communication with participants and adaptations for newcomer parents. Evidence of intervention promise was established in relation to parenting efficacy, levels of stress, positive practices and child behaviour. No impact was reported pertaining to parent-child dyads. No evidence of intervention promise was gleaned in relation to practitioner psychological factors, or to interpersonal relations.

Implications
Study findings implicate that an adaptive version of the intervention should be developed and trialled. Future studies should focus on parental engagement, including readiness for change and intention to change, and utilisation of more comprehensive frameworks for the development of behaviour change interventions, incorporating context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) and participant-centred approaches to research.

Date of Award	Jul 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Northern Ireland Department for the Economy
Supervisor	Fiona Lynn (Supervisor) & Sarah Miller (Supervisor)