Abstract/Summary

Background:Children in Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) are at risk for problems in their cognitive, social and behavioural development. Factors such as a lack of cognitive stimulation, harsh parenting practices, and severe and persistent aggression in early childhood are central to the genesis of these problems. Interventions that target the intersection between early childhood development, parenting, and early violence prevention are required in order to meaningfully address these problems. Methods:We are conducting a randomized controlled trial to evaluate a parenting intervention for caregivers of children between 23-27 months, designed to promote child cognitive and socio-emotional development in Khayelitsha, a low income peri-urban township in South Africa. Families are randomly allocated to book sharing or to a wait-list control group. In the intervention, we train caregivers in supportive book-sharing with young children. Training is carried out in small groups over a period of eight weeks. Data are collected at baseline, post-intervention and at six months post-intervention. In addition to targeting child cognitive development, the intervention aims to improve child socio-emotional functioning. Discussion:The Benefits of Early Book Sharing (BEBS) trial aims to evaluate the impact of an early parenting intervention on several key risk factors for the development of violence, including aspects of parenting and child cognition, prosocial behaviour, aggression, and socio-emotional functioning. The study is being carried out in a LMIC where violence constitutes a major social and health burden. Since the intervention is brief and, with modest levels of training, readily deliverable in LMIC contexts, a demonstration that it is of benefit to both child cognitive and socio-emotional development would be of significance.