Parental reflective functioning and coping among parents of toddlers with severe developmental disabilities: An early integrative bio-psycho-social rehabilitative intervention in daycare facilities.

Researchers ran a 13-session group program at daycare centers. Parents of toddlers with severe developmental delays attended weekly meetings. The program taught parents to think about their own thoughts and feelings while caring for their child. Staff coached parents on coping skills and understanding their child's behavior.

Parents who attended at least 13 sessions showed big improvements in reflective functioning. This means they better understood their own reactions and their child's needs. Their use of adaptive coping strategies also improved. The study found that increased reflective thinking led to better coping skills.

Frolli et al. (2021) tested similar reflective-function coaching with ABA parent training. Their toddlers with autism risk showed joint attention gains. Both studies show reflective coaching helps parents of young children with developmental concerns.

Rouhandeh et al. (2022) used only 4 sessions instead of 13. Their brief caregiver coaching still boosted toddler social communication and parent engagement. This suggests even shorter programs can work, extending the current study's findings.

De Laet et al. (2025) seems to contradict these toddler results by studying young adults. But both studies show positive coping strategies improve parent well-being across all ages. The difference is developmental stage, not conflicting results.

You can run effective parent coaching groups right in daycare settings. The 13-session model creates lasting change in how parents think and cope. When parents better understand their own reactions, they handle stress better. This reflective approach works alongside behavior interventions you already use. Consider adding reflective-function discussions to your parent training sessions.