Effects of a Five-Night Residential Early Parenting Program on Unsettled Infant Behaviour and Parenting Self-Efficacy: An Audit of Routinely Collected Clinical Data

Residential early parenting services in Australia provide psychoeducational programs for unsettled infant behaviour, which is reported by up to 35% of parents in their child’s first year and can negatively affect parenting self-efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate changes in infant behaviour and parenting self-efficacy following a five-night residential early parenting program and to identify demographic, social, and psychological predictors of parenting self-efficacy. An observational pre-post study using routinely collected medical record data from parents and infants aged up to 24 months was analysed. Parenting self-efficacy was assessed pre-admission and post-discharge using seven items from the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale. Infant sleeping and cry/fuss behaviour was measured at pre-admission, pre-discharge, and at the 6-week follow-up using study-specific questions. N = 1243 completed the program and provided pre-admission and pre-discharge data. N = 540 provided follow-up data. Overall, improvements were observed following participation. Infant sleeping and cry/fuss behaviour improved pre-discharge and remained largely stable at follow-up. Parenting self-efficacy increased from pre-admission to follow-up. An older maternal age, infants aged ≤ 4 months, and the reporting of more borderline personality disorder symptoms were associated with lower improvements in parenting self-efficacy. Residential early parenting programs improve infant behaviour and parental self-efficacy, though targeted follow-up services are indicated to sustain outcomes for vulnerable subgroups.