Alleviating Parenting Stress in Parents with Intellectual Disabilities: A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Video-feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting

Abstract

Background: Adapted parenting support may alleviate the high levels of parenting stress experienced by many parents with intellectual disabilities.

Methods: Parents with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning were randomized to experimental (n = 43) and control (n = 42) conditions. Parents in both groups received care-as-usual. The experimental group also received an adapted version of video-feedback intervention for positive parenting and learning difficulties (VIPP-LD). Measures of parenting stress were obtained pre-test, post-test and 3-month follow-up.

Results: Randomization to the experimental group led to a steeper decline in parenting stress related to the child compared to the control group (d = 0.46). No statistically significant effect on stress related to the parent's own functioning or situation was found.

Conclusions: The results of the study suggest the feasibility of reducing parenting stress in parents with mild intellectual disability (MID) through parenting support, to the possible benefit of their children.

Keywords: intervention programs; mild intellectual disability; parenting; parenting stress; randomized controlled trial; video-feedback.