A randomised-controlled pilot study of the one-to-one delivery of Tuning in to Kids: impact on emotion socialisation, reflective functioning, and childhood behaviour problems

ABSTRACT This pilot study provides a preliminary evaluation of the newly adapted one-to-one version of Tuning in to Kids (TIK), using a randomised-controlled design. One hundred and seven parents of a child aged between four and ten with parent-identified behaviour problems participated. Parent emotion socialisation, parental reflective functioning (PRF), parent and teacher-reported externalising behaviour problems and parent-reported internalising (anxiety) problems were assessed at baseline and six-month follow-up. Parents who completed the TIK one-to-one intervention reported improved emotion socialisation practices, relative to waitlist-controls. Children of parents in the intervention group also experienced more clinically significant improvement to their externalising behaviour problems, and decreased anxiety symptoms. There were no significant changes to teacher-reported behaviour problems, or to PRF, however, there was a trend towards intervention parents experiencing improvements to one aspect of PRF – Pre Mentalising. TIK one-to-one shows promise as an effective intervention approach for parents and their children with behaviour problems. Further corroboration of these effects is needed with a larger sample. Abbreviations: Tuning in to Kids (TIK); Parental Reflective Functioning (PRF) Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number: ACTRN12618000310268