Cluster randomized controlled trial of a phone-based caregiver support and parenting program for Syrian and Jordanian families with young children

For refugee caregivers who may live in remote areas or be a highly mobile population, creating parenting programs that fit their needs and accommodate their mobility can be highly beneficial. In this article, we evaluate a 6-month, audio-only early childhood development (ECD) intervention delivered via phone (3 calls per month) to caregivers of Syrian and Jordanian backgrounds in Jordan. A sample of stipended community health volunteers (CHVs; N = 99) and their caseloads of caregivers (n = 2,298) was randomized to calls with health and nutritional content (control group) or calls with health, nutritional, and added parenting and caregiver-focused content (including content adapted from the Reach Up and Learn model). Hypothesized outcomes included reduced caregiver depressive and anxiety symptoms, parenting stress, and harsh discipline; increased parent-child learning activities and parenting self-efficacy. Exploratory outcomes (all caregiver-reported) included child development; and caregiver engagement in activities related to health and child learning following the calls. Exposure to the treatment condition resulted in a statistically significant reduction in caregivers’ depressive symptoms (d=-0.11). No other statistically significant impacts were found. Implications of these findings for caregiver interventions are discussed.

Resource Info

Resource Type

Journal Article

Published

Published by

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Authored by

Joyce Rafla, Kate Schwartz, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, Dennis Hilgendorf, Anaga Ramachandran, Mohammad Khanji, Rawan Abu Seriah, Mohammad Al Aabed, Ragheb Fityan, Phoebe Sloane, Ayat Al Aqra, Razan Mousa, Tareq Sharawi, Andrés Molano, Kimberly Foulds, Jere Behrman, Alice Wuermli

Topic(s)

Caregivers
Research and Evidence
Technology and Innovation

Geographic Focus

Jordan
Syria