Professor Frances Gardner

fg for bbc
Professor of Child and Family Psychology
+44 (0)1865 270325
frances.gardner@spi.ox.ac.uk

Professor Frances Gardner is Professor of Child and Family Psychology in the Department of Social Policy and Intervention, and Fellow of Wolfson College. She has been variously Director and Deputy Director of the graduate programme in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation at Oxford since it began in 2003, as well as co-Director of the Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention. 

Her research focuses on the development and testing of parenting interventions for reducing child behaviour problems, and violence against children, in high, as well as low and middle income countries, with projects in the UK, USA, Eastern Europe, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and the Philippines. 

She investigates questions about transportability of parenting interventions across cultures and countries, about mechanisms of change, and about the subgroups of families and children for whom these interventions are most effective.

Research

Frances's research focuses primarily on Parenting interventions for reducing child antisocial behaviour and violence against children.  She researches the development of anti-social behaviour or conduct problems in children and young people, particularly how early parenting style influences young people's adjustment, and how this can help inform intervention development, and understand its mechanisms of effect. She conducts randomised controlled trials of community-based parenting programmes in several countries, as well as systematic reviews, investigating questions about effectiveness of parenting interventions for families and children, for reducing antisocial behaviour, and for reducing harsh parenting and violence against children. She has a particular interest in investigating differential effects of interventions for families and children with varying clinical characteristics and from different social and cultural backgrounds; and in parenting intervention mechanisms of change, and transportability across countries and cultures.  She has experience in direct observational methods for assessing parent-child interaction. 

Her secondary area of interest is in Risk and resilience in young people’s mental health:  this work investigates factors promoting poor mental health versus resilient outcomes in young people, using longitudinal studies of the development of antisocial behaviour and other mental health problems in young people, with low income families in the USA, and with orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. She has also used UK national cohort data to assess how risk factors for antisocial behaviour, such as parenting, have changed over recent decades.

Her work has considerable impact on policy and practice; she advises to government ministries in many countries, as well as to WHO and UNICEF; she is a founder member of WHO’s ‘Parenting for Lifelong Health’ initiative; she serves on the Board of ‘Blueprints for Violence Prevention’, on a WHO Expert Panel on Standard of Evidence in Violence Prevention, and previously, the Scientific Advisory Board for the National Academy of Parenting Practitioners, and for SFI, the Danish National Centre for Social Research; and on a UNODC Expert Panel on worldwide family skills training. She is Associate Editor of ‘Prevention Science’, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.

Current projects
Publications

  • Parenting, mental health and economic pathways to prevention of violence against children in South Africa.

    October 2020
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    Journal article
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    Social science & medicine (1982)
    BACKGROUND:Parenting programs based on social learning theory have increasing empirical evidence for reducing violence against children. Trials are primarily from high-income countries and with young children. Globally, we know little about how parenting programs work to reduce violence, with no known studies in low or middle-income countries (LMICs). This study examines mechanisms of change of a non-commercialized parenting program, Parenting for Lifelong Health for Teens, designed with the World Health Organization and UNICEF. A cluster randomized trial showed main effects on parenting and other secondary outcomes. We conducted secondary analysis of trial data to investigate five potential mediators of reduced violence against children: improved parenting, adolescent behaviour, caregiver mental health, alcohol/drug avoidance, and family economic strengthening. METHODS:The trial was implemented in rural South Africa with 40 sites, n = 552 family dyads (including adolescents aged 10-18 and primary caregivers). Intervention sites (n = 20) received the 14-session parenting program delivered by local community members, including modules on family budgeting and savings. Control sites (n = 20) received a brief informational workshop. Emotional and physical violence against children/adolescents and each potential mediator were reported by adolescents and caregivers at baseline and 9-13 months post-randomisation. Structural equation modelling was used to test simultaneous hypothesized pathways to violence reduction. RESULTS:Improvements in four pathways mediated reduced violence against children: 1) improved parenting practices, 2) improved caregiver mental health (reduced depression), 3) increased caregiver alcohol/drug avoidance and 4) improved family economic welfare. Improved child behaviour was not a mediator, although it was associated with less violence. CONCLUSIONS:Simultaneously bolstering a set of family processes can reduce violence. Supporting self-care and positive coping for caregivers may be essential in challenging contexts. In countries with minimal or no economic safety nets, linking social learning parenting programs with economic strengthening skills may bring us closer to ending violence against children.

  • Combining parenting and economic strengthening programmes to reduce violence against children: a cluster randomised controlled trial with predominantly male caregivers in rural Tanzania.

    July 2020
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    Journal article
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    BMJ global health
    INTRODUCTION:Parenting programmes may reduce the risk of violence against children and improve child well-being. However, additional economic support may be necessary in highly deprived rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, delivering programmes within farmer groups may increase male caregiver recruitment and engagement. METHODS:A parallel cluster randomised controlled trial examined the combined and separate effects of parenting and economic strengthening programmes on reducing violence against children aged 0-18 years in farming communities in Tanzania (n=248 families; 63% male caregivers). Eight villages were randomly assigned to four conditions (2:2:2:2): (1) 12-session parenting programme (n=60); (2) agribusiness training (n=56); (3) parenting and agribusiness combined (n=72); (4) control (n=60). Parent-report, child-report and early childhood observation assessments were conducted at baseline, mid-treatment and post-treatment. Primary outcomes were child maltreatment and parenting behaviour. Secondary outcomes included corporal punishment endorsement, parenting stress, parent/child depression, child behaviour, economic well-being and child development. RESULTS:At post-treatment, parents and children receiving the combined interventions reported less maltreatment (parents: incidence rate ratio (IRR=0.40, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.65; children: IRR=0.40, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.92). Parents reported reduced endorsement of corporal punishment (Dw =-0.43, 95% CI -0.79 to 0.07) and fewer child behaviour problems (Dw =-0.41, 95% CI -0.77 to 0.05). Parents in parenting-only villages reported less abuse (IRR=0.36, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.63) and fewer child behaviour problems (Dw =-0.47, 95% CI -0.84 to 0.11). Parents in agribusiness-only villages reported fewer child behaviour problems (Dw =-0.43, 95% CI -0.77 to 0.08) and greater household wealth (Dw =0.57, 95% CI 0.08 to 1.06). However, children in agribusiness-only villages reported increased physical abuse (IRR=2.26, 95% CI 1.00 to 5.12) and less positive parenting (Dw =-0.50, 95% CI -0.91 to 0.10). There were no other adverse effects. CONCLUSION:Parent training may be the active ingredient in reducing maltreatment in farmer groups with majority male caregivers, while agribusiness training programmes may have unintended negative consequences on children when delivered alone. Locating parenting support in existing farmer groups can engage much higher proportions of fathers than stand-alone programmes.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02633319.

  • A systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions designed for mothers who experienced child sexual abuse.

    June 2020
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    Journal article
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    Child Abuse Negl
    BACKGROUND: Past experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA) have been shown to have a pernicious effect on the parenting behaviors of mothers. As a result, interventions have been developed to address these effects. However, a systematic synthesis of the effectiveness of such interventions has not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of existing literature on interventions that have been developed and evaluated for mothers who experienced CSA. METHODS: Studies were located through a sensitive search strategy in nine academic databases and search engines, and through handsearching reference lists of included studies and their subsequent citations. Two authors independently completed screening, full text review, data extraction, and quality appraisal. RESULTS: Searches revealed a paucity of literature, with four intervention studies located. All four interventions consisted of therapy, with three of these interventions using a group-based format. One of the included intervention studies used reiki as an adjunct to therapy. Decreases in negative mental health symptoms were reported through both validated measures and interviews. No validated measures to assess parenting were used in any intervention, though some qualitative results indicated changes in parenting. Qualitative results also suggested that most mothers were satisfied with the interventions. Studies were of limited quality - none used a randomized trial design, and only one a control group. CONCLUSIONS: Given the limitations of the identified intervention studies for mothers who experienced CSA, there is a clear need to develop evidence-based interventions for this population given the unique detrimental effects of CSA on parenting. Avenues for future intervention development are discussed.
    Abuse, Child sexual abuse, Interventions, Parenting, Sexual abuse, Systematic review

  • A mixed methods investigation of the association between child sexual abuse and subsequent maternal parenting.

    May 2020
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    Journal article
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    Child Abuse Negl
    BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with a number of pernicious outcomes, including adverse parenting outcomes among mothers who experienced CSA (MCSA). Despite the large literature on these outcomes, gaps and uncertainties in the literature exist. Specifically, while previous literature has shown that some MCSA have their parenting negatively affected by CSA, others do not, and potential mechanisms explaining these variations, such as mental health and characteristics of the CSA experience, have not been fully explored. OBJECTIVES: To investigate (1) how MCSA believe their CSA experiences have affected their parenting, if at all; (2) what factors may be contributing to these perceived effects; and (3) what resources or intervention components MCSA believe they need to cope with their experiences. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Participants were MCSA primarily from the UK and the Republic of Ireland. METHODS: MCSA were recruited through partner organizations specializing in parenting, child abuse, and mental health to complete an online survey with both qualitative and quantitative components. Qualitative data were thematically synthesized and subgroup analyses were conducted. RESULTS: MCSA reported that their CSA experiences most affected their desire to protect their child from experiencing abuse. Additionally, breastfeeding, child-rearing practices, the mother-child relationship, and perceptions of motherhood and the child were reported to be affected. CONCLUSIONS: Given that MCSA have reported their CSA experiences to negatively affect several aspects of parenting, evidence-based interventions are needed. Participant concerns regarding parenting and suggestions made by participants in this study for interventions may aid in intervention development.
    Child sexual abuse, Mixed-methods, Mothers, Parenting, Qualitative, Sexual abuse

  • Parenting interventions to prevent violence against children in low- and middle-income countries in East and Southeast Asia: A systematic review and multi-level meta-analysis.

    May 2020
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    Journal article
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    Child Abuse Negl
    BACKGROUND: Currently, the strongest evidence for preventing violence against children lies with social learning theory-based parenting interventions. An increasing number of experimental studies on such interventions have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in East and Southeast Asia. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of parenting interventions in preventing violence against children. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Parents and primary caregivers living in LMICs in East and Southeast Asia. METHODS: Eleven studies were retrieved through electronic databases, expert contacts, and the reference sections of previous reviews. Studies were appraised for risk of bias and effect estimates pooled using random effects multilevel meta-analysis. RESULTS: Forty-four effect estimates were meta-analyzed based on five outcome category models, finding a small effect on abusive, harsh, or negative parenting (n = 3, d = -0.42, 95 % CI [- 0.81, -0.02], p < .01, I2 = 72 %); a large, non-significant effect on parental knowledge or attitudes (n = 5, d = 1.40, 95 % CI [-0.30, 3.10], I2 = 95 %); a small effect on positive parent-child interactions (n = 5, d = 0.25, 95 % CI [0.19, 0.32], p < .001, I2 = 0); a small, non-significant effect on parental stress (n = 2, d = -0.13, 95 % CI [-0.38, 0.11], I2 = 0); and a small, non-significant effect on family environment (n = 3, d = 0.21, 95 % CI [-0.12, 0.53], I2 = 85 %). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that parenting interventions can reduce rates of particular forms of violence against children, as well as promote positive parent-child interactions.
    Child abuse, Child maltreatment, Cultural context, Mental health, Parenting, Violence
More
Supervision

Frances would be especially interested in supervising doctoral students wishing to work on the following topics: 
· Parenting and Family Interventions (primarily)
· Child Mental Health – prevention and treatment
· Development and Prevention of anti-social and risky behaviour in young people
· Child and Family interventions in developing countries
· Child maltreatment

Current students
News
Find out more

Frances Gardner - CV August 2017

Frances Gardner on Google Scholar