MELBOURNE, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- An Australian universal parenting program designed to prevent early child behavior problems appears to have little impact on toddler behavior, a study found.
Researchers at the Centre for Community Child Health in Melbourne say behavioral problems affect up to 20 percent of children and have major personal, societal and economic ramifications.
The researchers said if left untreated, up to half of behavior problems in preschool children develop into later mental health problems. More than 700 mothers of 8-month-old infants participated in the study and were randomized to participate in the program involving three sessions or usual care from their local Maternal and Child Health center.
Mothers were tracked throughout the study and their mental health was assessed when their children reached 18 and 24 months.
At 18 months, child behavior and parenting scores were similar between the two groups. Once the child reached 24 months, parents on the program were less likely to report harsh or abusive parenting and unreasonable expectations of child development, but there was no improvement in maternal distress or toddler behavior.
The findings are published in the British Medical Journal.
