Effectiveness of the Parents Plus Early Years Program Among Families Living in Post-Earthquake Container Settlements in Türkiye

Yaşayan Ailelerde Parents Plus Erken Yaşlar Programının EtkililiğiObjectives: The effectiveness of the Parents Plus Early Years (PPEY) program on parental stress, family functioning, and children's emotional and behavioral outcomes was evaluated among families living in post-earthquake container settlements and exposed to high psychosocial risk. Materials and Methods:This study employed a single-group pre-post design among parents of children aged 3-6 years residing in postearthquake container settlements in Elazığ, Türkiye.A total of 21 parents who completed the program and assessment process were included in the analyses.The intervention consisted of nine sessions delivered weekly over a 15-week period, including baseline and post-intervention assessments.Data were collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the parenting stress index, and the family assessment device.Pre-and post-intervention differences were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests.Results: Following the intervention, parental stress decreased significantly across all subscales of both the child and parent domains, as well as in the total scores (all p<0.001).Significant improvements were observed across all domains of family functioning (all p<0.001).Scores for attention-deficit/hyperactivity, conduct problems, emotional symptoms, and peer problems decreased significantly (all p<0.001), whereas prosocial behavior scores increased (p=0.001).Conclusion: Participation in the PPEY program was associated with significant and multidimensional changes in parental stress, family functioning, and children's emotional and behavioral outcomes in high-risk post-disaster settings.These findings underscore the relevance of structured, evidence-based parenting interventions for families affected by disasters.