Message in reports on studies - arrgh!

Here is an article in today's Herald that typifies what really gets my goat about how messages are presented to mothers in the media.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...234230323.html

'TODDLERS subjected to Supernanny-style positive parenting end up behaving just as badly as other children, Australian researchers say.

And mothers who use methods such as the "naughty step" and "quiet time" advocated by TV child-raising expert Jo Frost - the star of the top rating show Supernanny - are just as stressed as other women, although they are less likely to use harsh or abusive parenting.....

But a trial of 700 mothers at The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne found there was little worth in introducing "positive parenting" programs - intensive two-hour group sessions involving a nurse and childhood expert - on a wide scale.

Lead researcher Harriet Hiscock said such sessions did work for high-risk families already struggling to cope with behavioural problems.

Dr Hiscock said the study was the first to examine if getting in early - before age one - and targeting all socio-economic groups would prevent behavioural problems in children. But the report, published in the British Medical Journal, found toddlers were just as defiant and aggressive at age two - and their mothers suffered the same levels of anxiety and depression - regardless of participation in the program. Left untreated, up to 50 per cent of behavioural problems in preschool children develop into mental health problems.

In the Victorian trial, the mothers of half the children were allowed to bring them up as they thought best. The other half attended three group sessions at eight, 12 and 15 months and were taught how best to develop a "warm and sensitive relationship" with their toddlers.

But University of Queensland professor Matt Sanders , founder of the widely-used Positive Parenting Program, disagreed with the finding, saying there was plenty of evidence that universal parenting programs were effective.'
................................

The terms 'abusive and harsh' are pretty subjective and many would say the Supernanny method isn't either of these. And how do they define a 'warm and sensitive relationship' - where does that fit in the positive parenting programs? Are there other reasons why mothers are stressed and depressed? Are the children too young to test if the method works? Did their behaviour improve even though the mothers were still stressed? Is it normal for children to be aggressive and defiant at age two?

So, this method doesn't work, but after the kids are two, when they are preschoolers, if they have problems, up to 50% can develop into mental health problems. No suggestion of what to do about that. And 'up to 50%'? So, that is, less than. What does that tell mothers, other than be afraid? You'll be stressed with a toddler regardless of how to try to guide his behaviour and if you get it wrong there are big penalties.

What is the point of this article?????


Catherine

  #2    

hmmm

I think some journalists just need a bit of extra cash b/c it's unbelievable what gets written about sometimes. They need to find something useful to write about don't you reckon?.....

cheers,