The Intervention
In 2011 Dr Alice Loving (CEO) was trained in using VIPP-SD at the Anna Freud Centre London, a video feedback intervention to promote positive parenting and sensitive discipline. There are a number of research studies that have proved its efficacy in improving parenting capacity and strengthening the attachment relationship (Juffer et al. 2017, O’farrelly et al. 2021, Van IJzendoorn et al. 2023, Runze et al 2024). This style of parenting intervention is recommended within the NICE practice guidelines 26.
You can see a video here describing the use of VIPP with the families at The Tavistock Clinic in London.
Dr Loving has adapted some of the principles of this method to be a better fit within the context of Child Protection and Safeguarding. She has provided this intervention to a number of families across different local authorities. There have been many positive outcomes for the families, the majority of which were at crisis point at the start of the work.
Overview of the 12 week Mentalization Based Video Intervention
This intervention is often completed over 12 weeks, but if required it can be offered over 6 months. The main parent is seen at home once a week or online, if appropriate. At the start, an Adult Attachment Interview is completed with the main caregiver to learn more about their own childhood relationships. This helps with being able to make relational links between their experience and their child’s. The parent receives some teaching around the attachment relationship and the key dynamics. An initial discussion will also take place about what might be the most helpful area to focus on.
The video sessions then commence (this is where the magic happens!). This consists of filming the parent and child doing a variety of tasks. A transcript is then composed to be used during feedback sessions with the parent, whilst the footage is reviewed together. This is very much a strengths-based intervention, so any positive aspects are focused on and highlighted to the parent.
It is very important that the parent does not feel heavily criticised in anyway, and any necessary changes are seen purely through the eyes of the child, rather than a direction from the practitioner. Delivering messages about what might need to change in this style gives a much better chance at achieving behavioural change from both the parent and child.
The focus of this work is strengthening the parents’ ability to accurately consider what might be in the child’s mind and how their thoughts and feelings influence their behaviour. There is also an exploration with the parent of the child’s internal working model of themselves and how this is intertwined with their relational experiences. A large part of this work is also considering what the parents internal working model of themselves might be. The parent experiencing being mentalized for by a practitioner, and therefore them taking an interest in what is in their mind and how this influences their behaviour is an essential part of opening up their capacity to do this for their own children.
If improvements in the parents’ capacity to mentalize can be achieved then this can significantly reduce parenting struggles, challenging behaviour and concerns from the local authority.
Listen to a powerful account from a mother of the impact mentalization based intervention had on her and her family:
References
Juffer, F., Struis, E., Werner, C. and Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., 2017. Effective preventive interventions to support parents of young children: Illustrations from the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD). Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 45(3), pp.202-214.
O’Farrelly, C., Watt, H., Babalis, D., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., Barker, B., Byford, S., Ganguli, P., Grimas, E., Iles, J., Mattock, H. and McGinley, J., 2021. A brief home-based parenting intervention to reduce behavior problems in young children: a pragmatic randomized clinical trial. JAMA pediatrics, 175(6), pp.567-576.
Van Ijzendoorn, M.H., Schuengel, C., Wang, Q. and Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J., 2023. Improving parenting, child attachment, and externalizing behaviors: Meta-analysis of the first 25 randomized controlled trials on the effects of video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting and sensitive discipline. Development and psychopathology, 35(1), pp.241-256
Runze, J 2024, ‘Genetic, cognitive and intervention effects on parenting, child attachment and children’s psychobiology’, PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.5463/thesis.543