A review of Australian Government funding of parenting intervention research

Sophie S Havighurst¹, Carys Chainey², Frances L Doyle³, Daryl J Higgins⁴, Ben Mathews⁵, Trevor G Mazzucchelli^{2

6}, Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck⁷, Karl Andriessen⁸, Vanessa E Cobham², Donna Cross⁹, Mark R Dadds¹⁰, Sharon Dawe¹¹, Kylie M Gray^{12

13}, Adam J Guastella¹⁰, Paul Harnett¹⁴, Divna M Haslam^{2

5}, Christel M Middeldorp¹⁵, Alina Morawska², Jeneva L Ohan¹⁶, Matthew R Sanders², Helen M Stallman¹⁷, Bruce J Tonge¹³, John W Toumbourou¹⁸, Karen M T Turner², Kate E Williams¹⁹, Marie B H Yap^{20

21}, Jan M Nicholson²²

Affiliations

¹ Mindful: Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
² Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland.
³ School of Psychology, MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales.
⁴ Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria.
⁵ Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland.
⁶ Division of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia.
⁷ School of Applied Psychology & Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland.
⁸ Centre for Mental Health, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
⁹ Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia.
¹⁰ School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales.
¹¹ School of Applied Psychology & Applied Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹² Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
¹³ Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
¹⁴ School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹⁵ Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹⁶ School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia.
¹⁷ Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
¹⁸ School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria.
¹⁹ Centre for Child and Family Studies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland.
²⁰ Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
²¹ School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
²² Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria.

PMID: 35436026
DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.13235

Free article

Review

A review of Australian Government funding of parenting intervention research

Sophie S Havighurst et al. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2022 Jun.

Free article

. 2022 Jun;46(3):262-268.

doi: 10.1111/1753-6405.13235. Epub 2022 Apr 18.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Mindful: Centre for Training and Research in Developmental Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
² Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland.
³ School of Psychology, MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales.
⁴ Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria.
⁵ Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland.
⁶ Division of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia.
⁷ School of Applied Psychology & Menzies Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland.
⁸ Centre for Mental Health, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
⁹ Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia.
¹⁰ School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales.
¹¹ School of Applied Psychology & Applied Health Institute of Queensland, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹² Centre for Educational Development, Appraisal and Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
¹³ Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
¹⁴ School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹⁵ Child and Youth Mental Health Service, Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland.
¹⁶ School of Psychological Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia.
¹⁷ Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
¹⁸ School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria.
¹⁹ Centre for Child and Family Studies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland.
²⁰ Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria.
²¹ School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria.
²² Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria.

PMID: 35436026
DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.13235

Abstract

Objectives: Parenting is central to children's optimal development and accounts for a substantial proportion of the variance in child outcomes, including up to 40% of child mental health. Parenting is also one of the most modifiable, proximal, and direct factors for preventing and treating a range of children's problems and enhancing wellbeing. To determine the effectiveness of new approaches to parenting intervention, and to evaluate how to optimise reach and uptake, sufficient funding must be allocated for high quality research.

Method: We reviewed funding awarded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Australian Research Council (ARC) for parenting intervention research during 2011-2020.

Results: Parenting intervention research received 0.25% of the NHMRC and ARC research budgets.

Conclusions: There is a substantial mismatch between the funding of parenting intervention research and the impact of improved parenting on short- and long-term child outcomes. To rectify this, it is critical that Australian Government funding schemes include parenting interventions as priority areas for funding.

Implications for public health: Changes in allocation of funding to parenting research will support the establishment of evidence for the effective development, implementation and dissemination of parenting interventions to maximise health outcomes for children and their families.

Keywords: child; parent; parenting; parenting interventions; research funding.

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References

1. Sanders MR, Turner KMT. The importance of parenting in influencing the lives of children. In: Sanders MR, Morawska A, editors. Handbook of Parenting and Child Development Across the Lifespan. Cham (CHE): Springer International Publishing; 2018. p. 3-26.
1. Pinquart M, Ebeling M. Parental educational expectations and academic achievement in children and adolescents-a meta-analysis. Educ Psychol Rev. 2020;32(2):463-80.
1. Vasquez AC, Patall EA, Fong CJ, Corrigan AS, Pine L. Parent autonomy support, academic achievement, and psychosocial functioning: A meta-analysis of research. Educ Psychol Rev. 2016;28(3):605-44.
1. United Nations Children's Fund Australia. “Living in Limbo”: The Views and Experiences of Young People in Australia at the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic and National Response. Sydney (AUST): UNICEF Aust; 2020.
1. Green P. Risks to children and young people during COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ. 2020(369):m1669.

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CE140100027/Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course

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A review of Australian Government funding of parenting intervention research

Affiliations

A review of Australian Government funding of parenting intervention research

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical