”Daddy comforts me”–Young Swedish children’s perspectives on their family relations before and after their parents’ participation in a parenting programme

Abstract

Despite extensive research assessing parenting support, there is a lack of knowledge about the perspectives of the youngest children. In this study, we explored changes in preschool children’s emotional and relational experiences at home before and after their parents participated in a parenting intervention, the Triple P parenting programme. Nine children in total were interviewed, aged 3–6 years, whose parents participated in a group parenting intervention. The interviews were conducted during the first and final group sessions attended by the children’s parents. Data were analysed qualitatively, using a longitudinal approach, resulting in a deductive mapping of the children’s statements onto four themes, based on the parenting intervention’s main objectives. Further, changes in content for each of the four themes were assessed. Before the programme, children described conflicts with siblings, parents’ negative emotions, and punitive parenting behaviours. After the programme, sibling conflicts remained, but parents’ negative emotions decreased and parent threats and violence ceased. Positive family interactions and quality time increased, along with experiences of tenderness and being comforted. Parents also implemented new strategies such as verbal management and more comforting or soothing behaviours. Clinical implications of the results include promoting positive sibling relationships, emphasising parental self-regulation, encouraging empathy and reconciliation, and highlighting the importance of spending quality time with children. These findings contribute to a better understanding of children’s perspectives and provide implications for clinical practice and future research.