White
82%
Peer reviewed?
Yes
Hruska, V., Darlington, G., Haines, J., & Ma, D. W.L. (2020). Parent stress as a consideration in childhood obesity prevention: Results from the Guelph Family Health Study, a pilot randomized controlled trial [Study 1: Four home visits]. Nutrients, 12(6), 1835. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061835
Model(s) Reviewed
Navigate to model page for more information about the home visiting model.
Study Registration
Funding Sources
Not reported
Study Design
| Design | Attrition | Baseline equivalence | Confounding factors | Valid, reliable measures? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randomized controlled trial | Low | Not assessed for randomized controlled trials with low attrition |
No |
Yes |
Findings for general life stress of mothers measured six and 18 months after enrollment received an indeterminate rating because HomVEE could not confirm the reliability of the measure. Findings for the paternal health outcomes (general stress, parenting distress, and depression) were ineligible for review because they are not in one of HomVEE's eligible outcome domains. The study sample includes participants from Phase I and II of the Guelph Family Health Study.
Study Participants
Study families were recruited from agencies that provide services for families with young children and postings on the Ontario Early Years Centre Facebook page and the University of Guelph webpage. Families were eligible for the study if they had at least one child between 18 and 60 months and ineligible if they planned to move within the following year or did not speak English. Families were randomized to either the Guelph Family Health Study intervention (41 families) or the comparison condition (28 families). Sixty-three families were included in the analyses in this manuscript (38 in the intervention group and 25 in the comparison group). Outcomes were measured six and 18 months after study enrollment. In the study, 82 percent of parents were White and 86 percent were married. Fifty-six percent possessed a college degree or some college, while 42 percent had postgraduate training. About 75 percent of families had annual household incomes of $60,000 or more.
Setting
The study took place in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Home Visiting Services
The Guelph Family Health Study intervention consisted of four home visits with a health educator, emails, and mailed incentives. The initial home visit lasted for one hour and follow-up home visits lasted 30 to 60 minutes. The home visits were scheduled about four- to six-weeks apart. The content of the home visits, which was designed to change health behaviors, was informed by family systems theory and self-determination theory. All visits took place in the families’ homes. The health educator helped families to set, review, and discuss health behavior changes, goals, solutions, and challenges. Families were sent weekly emails that were tailored to the behavior change goals they set with the health educator.
Model(s) Reviewed
Navigate to model page for more information about the home visiting model.
Comparison Conditions
Families assigned to the comparison condition were not eligible to receive intervention services through the Guelph Family Health Study. Families received monthly emails containing publicly available, general information on children’s health, such as the current Canadian physical activity guidelines.
Were any subgroups examined?
No
Subgroups examined
There were no subgroups reported in this manuscript.
Findings that rate moderate or high in this manuscript
Positive parenting practices
| Outcome measure | Timing of follow-up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect size (absolute value) | Stastical significance | Sample size | Sample description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS), Household chaos |
6 months after enrollment |
High | 0.10 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.57 |
60 families | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
||
Confusion, Hubbub, and Order Scale (CHAOS), Household chaos |
18 months after enrollment |
High | 0.30 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.14 |
60 families | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
Maternal health
| Outcome measure | Timing of follow-up | Rating | Direction of Effect | Effect size (absolute value) | Stastical significance | Sample size | Sample description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Parenting distress subscale |
6 months after enrollment |
High | 0.12 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.63 |
62 mothers | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
||
Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Parenting distress subscale |
18 months after enrollment |
High | 0.19 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.41 |
62 mothers | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
||
Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Depressive symptoms |
6 months after enrollment |
High | 0.11 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.65 |
62 mothers | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
||
Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Depressive symptoms |
18 months after enrollment |
High | 0.01 | Not statistically significant, p= 0.91 |
62 mothers | Guelph Family Health Study (4HV) vs. comparison, Canada 2014-2018, Phase I/II sample |
This study included participants with the following characteristics at enrollment:
Race/Ethnicity
Maternal Education
Other Characteristics
This study included participants from the following locations:
- State not reported or international
International Locations
Canada