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PALME: a preventive parental training program for single mothers with preschool aged children

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Abstract

Aim

Single mothers are exposed to various psychosocial risks. They suffer more frequently from chronic diseases, depression and elevated stress levels. These risk factors also have an impact on their children, who more often display adaptation or behaviour problems. Thus, an efficient parental training program designed for the needs and problems of single mothers and their preschool-aged children was targeted for development. The concept of PALME is based on attachment theory and psychodynamic-interactional approaches. The 20 weekly sessions of the program are manualised and follow a modular structure and is guided by a pair (f/m) of trained kindergarten teachers.

Subjects and methods

The efficacy of the program was evaluated within a randomised controlled trial. In all, 61 complete data sets were analysed within a variance analytic model (group × time) pre- and post-treatment. Dependent variables for the mothers were psychological symptom load (SCL-90-R, BSS), well-being (SF-12), emotional competence (SEE), and problem behaviour (SDQ) regarding the children.

Results

It could be shown that maternal psychological symptom load and depression were reduced by the training, while maternal well-being and emotional competence were enhanced. Dependent from the intervention the children showed a tendency towards reduced problem behaviour.

Conclusion

The PALME program is suited for the prevention of maternal depression and for enhancing the emotional competence of single mothers. Because of its benefits, low costs, easy implementation and good acceptance by the mothers, it was implemented as a regular option for support in many German communities.

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Notes

  1. PALME = Parental training for Lone Mothers guided by Educators (www.palme-elterntraining.de)

  2. i.e. neurotic spectrum disorders caused and triggered predominantly by psychosocial factors and emotional conflicts like anxiety, depressive, somatoform, or personality disorders, addictions or psychoreactive maladaptation to stressful life events.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany (BMBF, grant 01EL0411) whom we thank for the generous funding. Furthermore we appreciate the active support of numerous communal co-workers in the cities of Neuss and Hilden. Last but not least we thank the participating mothers and children.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Clinical Institute of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital (15.16), Moorenstr 5, 40225, Dusseldorf, Germany

    Matthias Franz, Lonja Weihrauch & Ralf Schäfer

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  1. Matthias Franz
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  2. Lonja Weihrauch
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  3. Ralf Schäfer
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Correspondence to Matthias Franz.

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Franz, M., Weihrauch, L. & Schäfer, R. PALME: a preventive parental training program for single mothers with preschool aged children. J Public Health 19, 305–319 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-011-0396-4

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