The harmonie program: impact evaluation of a program of family enrichment for mothers with an young child

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a enrichment program for families with preschooler. This program, entitled HARMONIE, consists of an intensive week-end session with parents and children in an outdoor setting. The goals of the program are: 1) to increase the perception of parental sense of competence ; 2) to promote a fair division of household and child caring responsabilities between the mother and her main support figure; 3) to reduce the degree of parental stress in general and of stress associated to child dificulties in particular. The sample is composed of an experimental group of 17 families and a control group of 18 families. The effects of the program are assessed 3, and 6 months after the intensive week-end session. Target variables are: parental stress, sense of parental competence, and division of household and child caring responsabilities. Results support the effectiveness of the program particularly in term of a reduction of parental stress and an increase of parental sense of competence.