Visitation Program to Reduce Coercive Parenting (Jamaica)
Problems addressed
Child abuse, neglect, and/or maltreatment
Low parental skills
Effectiveness

Effective

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Effective

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Life periods served
Children (4 to 13 years)
Teenagers (14 to 17 years)
Where the program was applied
Residence / home
Community (streets or community centers)
Country of application
Jamaica
Description

This refers to an intervention aimed at reducing coercive parenting that was implemented by the Ministry of National Security of Jamaica and targeted caregivers of children aged 6 to 15 years in vulnerable communities in that country.
Specifically, it consisted of a program of visits to caregivers by a professional specialized in parent/caregiver training and education over six months. During this period, parents were also invited to three group training workshop sessions.

Impact evaluations

A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) found strong evidence that, six months after the intervention, the use of coercive parenting practices was reduced in the treatment group compared to the control group. This improvement is due to a reduction in the likelihood of caregivers yelling and physically punishing their children for misbehavior. The effect is greater for caregivers with higher levels of coercive parenting practices before the intervention [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Simone, F. De, Mejia, C., Perez-vincent, S. M., & Villalba, H. (2022). Mitigating Coercive Parenting through Home Visitations: The Impacts of a Parenting Program Targeted at Vulnerable Communities in Jamaica. Interamerican Development Bank (IDB). https://publications.iadb.org/en/mitigating-coercive-parenting-through-…

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