Below are evidence sources and ratings for the interventions included in Groups 1-4. Due to the idiosyncratic nature of the interventions in Group 5, evidence has not yet been included on this.
For Group 1 individual studies into the adult therapy and parent-infant relationship impacts are included. This is not necessarily comprehensive.
For Groups 2-4 three sources have been considered:
- the intervention host website,
- the Early Intervention Foundation rating, and
- the Early Intervention Framework rating.
If research is published on the intervention host website then the table details if this is evaluations / published research / NICE guidelines.
The Foundation rating (https://guidebook.eif.org.uk/) uses a scale from 2-4 with programmes not yet reaching Level 2 listed here: https://guidebook.eif.org.uk/about-the-guidebook/other-programmes.
The Framework rating (https://earlyinterventionframework.nhs.scot/programmes/) uses a scale from 1-5. Both list the evidence for outcomes and outcomes listed in bold have potentially have more relevance to parent-infant relationship interventions.
Studies on Adult Therapies and PIR (Group 1)
| Therapy | Link | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| CBT | https://purehost.bath.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/148875679/Challacombe_RCT_for_PPOCD_Psychological_Medicine_Accepted_.pdf | iCBT was successful in ameliorating maternal symptoms of OCD (controlled ES=1.31-1.90). However, mother-infant interactions were unchanged by treatment and remained less sensitive in both OCD groups than a healthy control group. |
| CFT | https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1288797/full | Significant improvements in compassion-based outcomes (i.e., self-compassion, self-criticism/self-reassurance) were observed. However, these findings were primarily derived from non-clinical samples (n = 4) and could only be seen as preliminary. |
| DBT | https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/131177/1/FrancisJ_2020_Hons.pdf | Mother-Infant Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (MI-DBT) has produced improvements on quantitative scales of maternal mental health and the mother-infant relationship. While promising, these improvements were inconsistent across scales and mother-infant dyads. |
| DBT | https://journals.lww.com/practicalpsychiatry/abstract/2018/09000/a_new_therapeutic_group_to_help_women_with.5.aspx | Of the 20 women, 15 met full diagnostic criteria for BPD and five met partial criteria. Significant improvements were noted in maternal mood, with positive changes on two subscales of the Parental Reflective Function Questionnaire (prementalising and increased curiosity in mental states); significant reductions in anxiety and BPD symptomatology were also observed. Only a medium effect size was found for parenting sense of competence, and in smaller numbers of participants as this scale was introduced later. It should particularly be noted that 15 dyads showed substantial change on the CARE Index, indicating improvement in dyadic relationships. |
| MBT | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/imhj.21896 | The results of six meta-analyses showed a nonsignificant moderate improvement in PRF in the intervention group (standardised mean difference [SMD]: –0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] [–0.97, 0.04]) and a significant reduction in disorganised attachment (risk ratio: 0.50; 95% CI [0.27, 0.90]). There was no evidence for intervention effects on attachment security (odds ratio: 0.71; 95% CI [0.19, 2.64]), parent–infant interaction (SMD: –0.10; 95% CI [–0.46, 0.26]), parental depression (SMD: –1.55; 95% CI [–3.74, 0.64]) or parental global distress (SMD: –0.19, 95% CI [–3.04, 22.65]). There were insufficient data to conduct subgroup analysis (i.e. to compare the effectiveness of mentalisation-based treatment with non-mentalisation-based treatment interventions). |
Group 2
Group 3
| Group 3 | Evidence | EIF Guidebook Rating | EIF Guidebook Evidence | EIF Rating | EIF Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) | Published research: https://www.triplep.net/glo-en/the-triple-p-system-at-work/evidence-based/key-research-findings/ | 3+ | Reduced: emotional problems, behaviour problems, disruptive behaviour, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems. Improved: parenting, self-efficacy, relationship satisfaction. | 5 | Improved: behaviour, self-efficacy. Decline: dysfunctional parenting behaviour, depression, anxiety and stress, conflict. |
| Circle of Security Parenting | Published research: https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/circle-of-security-model/research/ | 2+ | Improved: inhibitory control, maternal response to child distress. | 3 | Reduction: disorganised attachment. Improvement: behaviour, reflective function, parental stress, mental health. |
| Incredible Years Baby | Published research: https://www.incredibleyears.com/research/library/tag/baby-program | Not yet assessed | 3+ | Improvement: parental confidence, mental health, stress. | |
| Mellow Babies | None listed | Assessed as not yet reaching Level 2 | 3+ | Improvement: behaviour, maternal mental health, parental confidence, positive interactions. | |
| Mellow Bumps | Feasibility study: https://www.mellowparenting.org/news/news/online-mellow-bumps-in-turkey-published-research/ | Assessed as not yet reaching Level 2 | 2+ | Improvement: maternal emotional wellbeing, infant development understanding, confidence in engaging with services. | |
| Empowering Parents Empowering communities (EPEC) - Babies and Us | Published research: https://www.cpcs.org.uk/epec/epec-published-evidence/ | 3 | Reduced: behaviour problems, parent concerns about child. Improved: parenting. | 4 | Improvement: externalising behaviours, positive parenting, parenting stress. |
| Therapeutic Baby Massage and Baby Yoga | None listed | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Together Time Parenting Group | None listed | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed |
Group 4
| Group 4 | Evidence | EIF Guidebook Rating | EIF Guidebook Evidence | EIF Rating | EIF Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attachment and Biobehavioural Catchup (ABC) | Published research: https://www.abcparenting.org/publications/ | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Centre for Emotional Health – Working One to One with Parents | Evaluations: https://www.centreforemotionalhealth.org.uk/impact-and-evidence | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Social-Emotional Under 5s Screening and Intervention (SUSI) | None listed | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) | Published research and NICE guidelines: https://www.videointeractionguidance.net/evidence | Not yet assessed | 3+ | Improvement: parental sensitivity, parent-infant bonding, sensitive interactions, maternal anxiety, depression, confidence, attachment, perception of baby's warmth and invasion. Lower: withdrawal. | |
| Video-Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting (VIPP) | NICE guidelines: https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/our-models-of-care/video-feedback-intervention-to-promote-positive-parenting-and-sensitive-discipline/ | Assessed as not yet reaching Level 2 | Not yet assessed | ||
| Watch, Wait and Wonder | None listed | Not yet assessed | 2+ | Improved: attachment security, emotional regulation, cognitive development, sense of parenting competence. Reduced: depression, parenting stress. | |
| Theraplay | Published research: https://theraplay.org/what-is-theraplay/research/peer-review/ | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy | Published research and NICE guidelines: https://ddpnetwork.org/research/evidence-base-for-ddp/ | Not yet assessed | Not yet assessed | ||
| Child-Parent Psychotherapy (Infant-Parent Psychotherapy) | Published research: https://childparentpsychotherapy.com/about/research/ | 3+ | Child Improved: mother-child relationship, child behaviour. Reduced: PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms. Infant Improved: attachment security, empathic behaviour. | 4+ | Improved: attachment security, secure attachment. |