A rigorous cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a mixed-format parenting programme in rural Thailand has yielded sobering results regarding child protection interventions. The study compared physical punishment and emotional abuse outcomes between 480 parents receiving either a blended intervention or standard care.
Key findings revealed physical punishment rates of 65% in the intervention group versus 68% in controls—a difference that was not statistically significant. The intervention group actually reported higher emotional abuse at follow-up (52% versus 45% in controls). Researchers suggest this counterintuitive increase may reflect heightened parental awareness of emotional abuse rather than actual harm escalation, a phenomenon worthy of further investigation.
Published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia, these results underscore the complexity of implementing violence prevention programmes in resource-limited settings and highlight the importance of longer follow-up periods to capture sustained behavioural change. Read the full article on GMJ Newsroom.
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