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Background: Early childhood interventions can have both immediate and long-term positive effects on cognitive, behavioural, health and education outcomes. Fathers are underrepresented in interventions focusing on the well-being of children. However, father participation may be critical for intervention effectiveness, especially for parenting interventions for child externalising problems. To date, there has been very little research conducted to understand the low rates of father participation and to facilitate the development of interventions to meet the needs of fathers. This study examined fathers' experiences of, and preferences for, parenting interventions as well as perceptions of barriers to participation. It also examined how these factors were associated with child externalising behaviour problems, and explored the predictors of participation in parenting interventions.Methods: A community sample of 1001 fathers of children aged 2-16 years completed an online survey about experiences with parenting interventions, perceived barriers to participation, the importance of different factors in their decision to attend, and preferred content and delivery methods. They also completed ratings of their child's behaviour using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.Results: Overall, 15% of fathers had participated in a parenting intervention or treatment for child behaviour, with significantly higher rates of participation for fathers of children with high versus low levels of externalising problems. Fathers rated understanding what is involved in the program and knowing that the facilitator is trained as the two most important factors in their decision to participate. There were several barriers to participation that fathers of children with high-level externalising problems were more likely to endorse, across practical barriers and help-seeking attitudes, compared to fathers of children with low-level externalising problems. Almost two-thirds of fathers of children with high-level externalising behaviour had not participated in a parenting intervention or treatment. The only significant predictors of intervention participation were severity of child externalising behaviour problems and child age.Conclusions: The findings have important implications for services seeking to increase father engagement and highlight a number of strategies to enhance the promotion and delivery of parenting interventions to fathers. These strategies include more public health messaging about parenting programs and the importance of father participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often first diagnosed in the adolescent years. The treatment with the greatest evidence during this time is family-based treatment (FBT). In FBT, siblings are expected to attend treatment sessions; however, sibling well-being during this time has not been well researched. This study aimed to explore sibling well-being when the ill child was initially diagnosed with AN and after FBT had been completed. Method Eighty-five parents and 55 siblings of adolescents with AN completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at diagnosis. In addition, 88 parents and 46 siblings completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire after finishing treatment. Results Mothers and fathers reported siblings to have lower levels of conduct problems in comparison with population norms. Mothers also reported lower levels of prosocial behaviours. Siblings reported higher levels of emotional difficulties and hyperactivity in comparison with their peers. There were no differences in reported psychosocial well-being of siblings between diagnosis and following FBT. Conclusions Siblings of adolescents with AN have poorer psychosocial adjustment than their peers, both before and after FBT. Clinicians and parents are encouraged to be aware of sibling difficulties and seek additional support if required. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of relationship dissatisfaction among Australian women during the first year after childbirth and to uncover factors affecting their relationships. Postnatal women who had given birth during the previous 12 months were invited to participate in a cross-sectional online study. A comprehensive, multisection questionnaire, as well as the Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Patient Health Questionnaire - 8 (PHQ-8), were used to collect data. Responses were analyzed using SPSS for Windows. Results showed that 37.2% of the participants experienced relationship dissatisfaction. Results of the multiple logistic regression revealed that the following were significant risk factors for relationship dissatisfaction during the first postpartum year: annual income of less than AU$50,000, sexual dysfunction, and a clinical diagnosis of depression and having symptoms of depression according to the PHQ-8 scores (p < 0.05). Compared to women in a heterosexual relationship, women who were in a same-sex relationship were less likely to have relationship dissatisfaction. In addition, in the period six to 12 months postpartum, women were less likely to have relationship dissatisfaction compared to the period 5 months or less postpartum (p < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth substance use related problems are increasingly common, and families experience considerable stress in attempting to cope with these problems. A pilot study of 34 Australian parents from 21 families (38% sole parent families) participating in an 8-week group program, designed to assist families recover from youth substance use related problems, provided the context to explore family change processes. Participants reported a number of significant improvements over the course of the four groups that ran from late 2003 and through 2004. Regression analyses found general support for the program logic model in identifying significant associations between program-targeted parent changes and post-program improvements in stress symptoms and cohesive family behaviors. The study's limitations are noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]