Jeremy Segrott, PhD,
Research Fellow in Public Health, DECIPHer Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
David Gillespie, BSc, Statistician, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Jo C. Holliday, PhD, Research Fellow, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Claire Hurlow, MSc, Research Associate / Trial Manager, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Heather Rothwell, MSc, Research Associate, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Simon Murphy, PhD, Professor in Public Health Improvement, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Sarah Morgan-Trimmer, PhD, Research Fellow in Process Evaluation, University of Exeter, Exeter, England
Jonathan Scourfield, PhD, Professor of Social Work, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Zoe Roberts, PhD, Lecturer, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
David Foxcroft, PhD, Professor of Community Psychology and Public Health, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
Kerry Hood, PhD, Professor, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales
Ceri Phillips, PhD, Professor of Health Economics, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom
Hayley Reed, BSc, Involving Young People Officer, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Laurence Moore, PhD, Professor / Director, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Introduction/Background: Few studies have examined the role of group composition in parenting/family interventions. Targeted interventions may produce iatrogenic group dynamics. Universal interventions address this issue, but there are important questions about their reach across different groups, and how best to comprise groups of families. Project SFP Cymru assessed the implementation of a ‘proportionate universalism’ model designed to optimise group management and learning by enrolling on each programme 70% families with no extra support needs and 30% families who required extra support to participate in a group setting.
Methods: Data collection comprised: routine monitoring data, baseline data collected during the trial’s outcome evaluation (including measures of family functioning, substance use, mental health and school problems), quantitative data on implementation fidelity (facilitator self-report), and qualitative process evaluation data collected throughout programme delivery.
Results: Twenty one of 56 programmes achieved a 70/30% split, and a further 15 programmes comprised a majority of families without extra support needs. Overall recruitment into the trial achieved a 65.5/35.5% split. The following variables were independently associated with families being categorised as families with extra support needs: >2 children participating in the study; average age of children participating in the study ≥ 12; highest qualification = no qualification or GCSE compared with degree qualification or higher; higher SDQ scores (indicating greater levels of difficulty).
Conclusions: The proportionate universalism model succeeded in reaching families with varying support need levels. Most groups comprised a mix of families, though it was not always possible to exactly achieve the 70/30 ratio. Further analysis is examining the relationships between group composition/size and fidelity, group dynamics and group management, and this will be presented.
David Foxcroft
Diageo:
DF’s institution has received financial support for the development of the SFP 10–14 UK programme materials from the alcohol industry.
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