1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The overarching objective of this RCT [randomized control-trial] study is to examine if a PCA [parenting capacity assessment] protocol, including the AVI [Attachment Video-feedback] as a means to assess the capacity for enhanced parenting, is a valuable method to orient placement decisions.» (p. 68)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«[I]n comparison to the PCA-PI group we expected the PCA-AVI group to show: 1) a higher quality of parent-child interaction at post-test, 2) a greater number of court decisions in favor of the child remaining with the parent at post-test, 3) fewer child placements 1 year after PCA and 4) fewer reports of maltreatment 1 year after PCA.» (p. 68)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The final sample of this study includes 69 maltreated children with a mean age of 18.66 months […] and their biological parent […]. These families are drawn from a larger sample (N = 123) recruited through CPS agencies of the city of Montreal […]. All families speaking French or English and about to begin a PCA were eligible, except those with children with severe medical or developmental problems (e.g., autism spectrum disorder) […]. In all, 23% of the children were born to adolescent mothers, 80% of the caregivers did not complete high school, 28% of the families were part of ethnic minority groups, and 87% were receiving social welfare or were unemployed.» (p. 68)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«The PCA-AVI protocol successfully led to increases in parent-child interaction quality that were not found in dyads in the PCA-PI control group. Moreover, although conclusions drawn by both groups of evaluators were associated with parent-child interactive improvements, only those of PCA-AVI evaluators were predictive of child re-reports of maltreatment in the year following PCA. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that PCAs with an attachment intervention embedded as a means to assess the potential for enhanced parenting can successfully inform child placement decisions, as long as conclusions drawn by evaluators are not solely based on the parent’s improvements in parent-child interaction.» (p. 75)