Pilot Trial of a Peer-to-Peer Psychoeducational Intervention for Parents of Black Children Awaiting a Developmental Evaluation.
Sarah Dababnah, Charina Reyes, Irang Kim and 3 others
PMID 37099652WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of Black children awaiting evaluation reported feeling better equipped to advocate for and teach their children after a peer-led online program.
Depression scores also improved. However, the study did not find significant changes in parenting stress or child behavior.
Key findings
01Family outcomes, specifically parents' sense of knowing their rights and helping their child develop, significantly improved across the program.
02Parenting stress and child behavior scores did not show statistically significant changes.
03Depressive symptoms significantly decreased from pre-intervention to post-intervention.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a single-arm pilot with no control group, so it is impossible to know if changes were due to the intervention or other factors like time or regression to the mean. The sample size was very small (15 completers), limiting statistical power and generalizability. All data were parent-reported, with no independent verification of child outcomes or clinical measures. Participants were recruited from one US state and identified primarily as mothers, limiting applicability to other family structures or regions. Attrition was high: 36 enrolled, but only 15 completed all sessions.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by NIH funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that the intervention improves child outcomes or reduces parenting stress. The study found no significant changes in child behavior or stress levels, and the improvements in depression and family outcomes were based on a small, uncontrolled sample of parent self-reports.