Abstract #384  -  Parent Intervention Programme [PIP](Project TALC-Zimbabwe) Intervention implementation
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Ms. Norest Beta - University of Zimbabwe
Additional Authors:  Ms Norest Tembani Beta, Mr Tinashe Muromo, Mr Stephen Machokoto, Ms Rachel Gatsi, Dr Sally Nyandiya Bundy, Dr Mufuta Tshimanga, Dr Daniel Montaño, Dr Danuta Kasprzyk,
Aim: The adapted Project TALC (Parent Intervention Programme [PIP]) was designed to be implemented and tested among a cohort of 400 Zimbabwean families.
Method / Issue: After 386 families were accrued into a Baseline and assessed, families were randomized into Intervention and Control arms.
Results / Comments: Parents and teens attended separate groups. Parent Intervention groups had 14 2-hour sessions over 7 weeks; adolescents had 10 2-hour sessions over 5 weeks. Sessions were led by trained facilitators whose aim was to impart 5 key skills: 1) Emotional regulation; 2) Problem solving; 3) Social support building; 4) Assertiveness; and 5) Goal setting. In all groups, goal setting was encouraged through assigning between-session tasks. The Control intervention was time-matched and run by a community social worker (overseen by a member of our facilitators’ team). It taught basic commodity skills, including candle-making, peanut-butter making, knitting, baking, making a business plan, marketing, and civic education. Control adolescents had supervised sport, knitting, baking, basic computer skills classes for the same number of hours. A process evaluation was conducted.
Discussion: Adult groups: Much of what was adopted from the US Project TALC Program (e.g. affirmative introductions at the beginning of session, “Thanks” cards, lottery, mantra, “sharing”) worked well in the Zimbabwean context. Other concepts like ‘active listening’ required reworking to be understood; some relaxation exercises requiring deep-breathing proved uncomfortable for those with chest discomfort, and images of flowers to induce relaxation was abandoned when it emerged that flowers are associated with funerals. Across all the groups, the “feeling” vocabulary was easily grasped and the use of the feeling thermometer in emotional regulation became common place. The session on disclosure of HIV status consistently moved participants from not wanting to tell, to actively thinking of the pros and cons and how to tell. The sessions on child custody often start off as most difficult for facilitators and parents, but by the end of the second session parents have often come round to seeing the benefits of planning for their children rather than leaving this to customary practices. From observations and self reports by participants, important bonds and friendships were established through group membership. Many now see themselves as worthy and view their lives in a different light. Almost without exception they were sad to see the program end. Adolescent groups. The main adaptation from the US program was to create two versions: one for adolescents aware of parental HIV+ status (APS) and those not aware of parental status (NAPS). Both versions conclude with the developments that take place in adolescence, peer relationships, opposite-sex relationships, abstinence, STI’s and HIV, contraceptive and protective devices: in general the reduction of risk and promotion of safer sexual practices. Almost twice as many adolescents were recruited to APS compared to NAPS. Process evaluation found APS, with its focus on the meaning of parental illness, may be more successful than NAPS, which attempts to impart the five skills but avoids the issue of parents’ HIV+ status. Next Steps: Follow-up assessments will determine efficacy
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