Strengthening parent-child relationships to promote child adjustment

This project aims to evaluate two new versions of an attachment-based parenting program to prevent youth antisocial behaviour and promote school adaptation. There is currently a shortage of relationally-focused prevention strategies tailored to unique needs of biological and foster parents and delivered at critical transitions in childrens lives. This project plans to test the effects of strengthening parent-child attachment in at-risk pre-teens moving from primary to high school and children in foster care entering new placements. It will also examine how the program works and for whom. Outcomes are expected to shed new light on effects of attachment quality and advance evidence-based psychological practice in enhancing child adjustment.