Enhancing Family Well-being Project

Summary

Background: Shamshuipo District has the highest proportion of low income families, and a relatively large percentage of single parents, elderly, new immigrants among all districts in Hong Kong (Census and Statistics Department, 2011). In addition to provide these families substantial support, a campaign to enhance their family well-being is needed.

Aim: This project is conducted to enhance their family relationship as well as family happiness, health and harmony (3Hs) among families in the Shamshuipo District, through a community-based intervention programme combined with a planning tool (booklet).

Methods: This project adopts a cluster-randomized controlled design, with the application of positive psychology concepts as a theoretical framework. A community-based participatory (CBP) approach, which is an effective way to engage public health researchers and community members (NGOs, other major stakeholders, and participants), will be used. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used in the evaluation of major outcomes (participants' family relationship and 3Hs) at different time points throughout the project. Process evaluation will be performed to evaluate the process of each component of the project.

Procedure: This project will be conducted in three phases.

Phase 1 includes planning, implementation, and evaluation of a training programme for social workers from the 30 participating NGOs. The social workers will be equipped with the knowledge and skills of the application of positive psychology as well as logic model. This phase also includes the launching event to arouse public awareness of the project.

Phase 2 includes designing, delivering, and evaluating 30 community-based intervention programmes. A planning tool (designed as a booklet) will be distributed to participants of the intervention group in the form of 'homework assignment' immediate after the intervention programme; whereas participants of the control group will receive the booklet upon the completion of the three months follow-up questionnaire assessment. This phase also contains focus group interviews among participants to collect their experiences, feelings and changes in families after attending the intervention programme. Focus groups among social workers will be conducted afterwards to explore their barriers and facilitators in programme implementation; as well as their personal and/or collective growth in conducting the project. In-depth interview among community stakeholders will be held to explore the social impact of the CBPR project, and collect their suggestions for future implementation.

Phase 3 is a dissimilation phase that the "Positive Family Education Booklet" and "Positive Family Practice Manual" will be released. A practice wisdom forum for social workers and other major stakeholders will also be organized to share their experiences in conducting the community-based programmes.

Primary hypothesis: Families participated in a community-based programme and received a toolkit (intervention group) have higher scores in their family relationship and family 3Hs than families who participated in a community-based programme only (control group).

Secondary hypotheses: (1) Participants' attitudes towards and intention of practising the suggested behaviours will be increased immediately after their participation in the community-based intervention programme; (2) Participants' attitudes towards, their intention, as well as frequency of practising the suggested behaviours will remain higher at 6 weeks and 3 months after the intervention compared to the corresponding figures of pre-intervention (baseline); (3) Participants' scores of family relationship and 3Hs will be significantly higher at 6 weeks and 3 months after their participation in the intervention.

Conditions

• Family Relationship, Family Health, Happiness and Harmony

Interventions

OTHER

A theory-based action planning toolkit

The toolkit will be distributed to the participants for their use at home, like a 'homework assignment', for the purpose of enhancing their intention and practices of the suggested behaviours. The development of the booklet was guided by the theory of The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA), which suggests that one's intention can be foster by knowing that the new behaviour has positive outcomes as opposed to the negative outcomes that accompany the current behaviour; and planning (action planning and coping planning) serves as an operative mediator between intentions and behaviour (Schwarzer, 2008). Previous evidence has shown the applicability of the HAPA in changing people's health behaviours, e.g., physical exercise, breast self-examination, seat belt use, dietary behaviours, and dental flossing; and its generalizability has been confirmed by Schwarzer (2008).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust

  collaborator OTHER

• The University of Hong Kong

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-03-31

Primary Completion

2013-01-31

Completion

2013-04-30

Countries

• China