Brief interventions to build social and emotional strengths and foster resilience in children: A Delphi consensus study

Abstract

Social and emotional competencies developed in childhood are among the strongest predictors of adult wellbeing. Simple parenting techniques that build these strengths and foster children's resilience can be easily taught and modelled. Our aim was to identify whether and which interventions, offered by primary care providers of 4–6 year-olds, could use the supportive nature of the doctor-patient relationship to demonstrate methods for augmenting children's social and emotional development to parents. We conducted a telephone and online Delphi process among 33 international, child development experts. Round 1 individual interviews identified feasibility of and content to incorporate into routine visits. Content areas were then ranked in Round 2 to identify three key themes. Finally, those participants with expertise in the identified areas verified best strategies for modelling these with parents. All 33 invited experts participated in Round 1, agreed that a brief, in-person intervention was valuable and feasible, and named 48 possible approaches or subthemes. After Round 2 (26 participants) the three themes and related strategies that emerged were reading to children, regulating emotions, and fostering positive parent-child interactions. Routine appointments present an opportunity for healthcare providers to address emotional development and foster resilience. Evidence for ongoing benefit of the brief parenting approaches that emerged is clear, however none is currently integrated into medical practice as a routine. Our findings can inform subsequent efforts to develop standard practices for including such interventions in well-child checks.