Parents' Emotional Journey Throughout Their Participation in a Well-Being Support Group Intervention.
Mélina Boulé, Mélina Rivard, Catherine Mello
PMID 40771146WHAT IT FOUND
Parents completing an eight-session well-being support group reported more comfortable and fewer uncomfortable emotions by the end.
The most pronounced shifts occurred after the first two sessions, which focused on navigating services and prioritising self-care.
Key findings
01By the end of the eight-week program, the number of comfortable emotions reported by parents increased significantly while uncomfortable emotions decreased.
02The most salient improvements in emotional experience occurred during Sessions 1 and 2, which focused on access to support services and self-care.
03Emotions reported immediately after sessions were rated as more intense than those reported before sessions, regardless of whether they were comfortable or uncomfortable.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study lacked a control group, so it is impossible to know if the emotional changes were due to the E-PAtS program, the act of journaling itself, or natural fluctuations over time. Only ten parents completed all sixteen journal entries, meaning the data relies on a subset of participants and may not represent the whole group. The three-point intensity scale was coarse, potentially missing subtle differences in emotional experience. Self-reported emotions are susceptible to social desirability bias, especially in a supportive group setting. The sample was predominantly mothers, limiting generalisability to fathers or other caregivers.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Strategic Innovation Fund, Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Société et Culture, and Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Santé.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the E-PAtS program definitively causes improved emotional well-being. This was an observational study without a control group, and the emotional changes could be due to the journaling activity, natural recovery, or other factors.