Revisiting Raising Families: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of Impact One-Year Later
Gabrielle Cervone
Co-Presenters: Victoria Antunes, Maria Olivia Saenz, Jadyn Sullivan, Anthony Smith
College: The College of Health Professions and Human Services
Major: Occupational Therapy (M.S.) or (OTD)
Faculty Research Mentor: Zahava Friedman
Abstract:
Background:Post-COVID-19 lockdown, research highlights declines in early childhood skill development, parent mental health, and parent-child relationships (Tan et al., 2023). These disruptions affected children's play, learning, and sleep patterns. Raising Families was a 12-week interprofessional support program for young children and caregivers, delivered by speech, occupational, and physical therapy students, clinical psychology students, and licensed clinicians at an urban, northeastern university-based clinic. From summer 2023 to winter/spring 2024, three cohorts served 37 families, provided 42 students with clinical hours, and included seven paid clinicians.Interprofessional collaboration and family-support interventions have demonstrated long-term effectiveness (Sanders, 2023; Vandell et al., 2010). Assessing Raising Families one year post-program could provide valuable insights into its lasting impact and inform future programming. This study investigates: What are the long-term effects for caregivers, children, students, and clinicians who participated in the 12-week Raising Families intervention one year post-participation?Methods:Following Full Board IRB approval, participants repeated assessments completed during the program. Caregivers completed the BASC-3 Parenting Relationship Questionnaire (BASC-3 PRQ) to assess parent-child relationships (Chan et al., 2022). Students and clinicians completed the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) and the Parental Checklist of Observations Linked with Outcomes (PICCOLO). Before an in-person reunion, clinicians completed the ICCAS, a self-reported measure of interprofessional competency (Archibald et al., 2014). During the reunion, caregivers and children participated in a play session where the PICCOLO, a 29-item checklist of observable parenting behaviors, was administered (Montirosso et al., 2023).Results & Discussion:Five caregivers completed the informed consent and survey, participating in BASC-3 PRQ and PICCOLO assessments. Preliminary findings indicate sustained improvements observed at program completion. Six students and four clinicians completed the ICCAS, showing continued interprofessional competency gains. These results highlight the long-term benefits of Raising Families for caregivers, children, students, and clinicians, reinforcing the program’s value and informing future family-support interventions.Select References:Archibald, D., Trumpower, D., & MacDonald, C. (2014). Validation of the interprofessional collaborative competency attainment survey (ICCAS). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 28(6), 553-558. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2014.917407etc.