Effectiveness of a parenting pocketbook on developmental stimulation: A quasi-experimental study on mothers of children under two years

Abstract

Background: The development of children under two years old (toddlers) is significantly influenced by the early stimulation provided by their parents. However, many children in Indonesia still experience developmental delays due to a lack of optimal monitoring and stimulation. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a parenting pocketbook in improving the knowledge, attitudes, and actions of mothers of toddlers regarding growth and development stimulation. Methods: The study used A quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group design was conducted among 60 mothers of toddlers in the Medan Tuntungan Health Center area. Samples were selected using purposive sampling, with 30 respondents in the intervention group (Kenangan Tani) and 30 in the control group (Ladang Bambu). The intervention lasted one month. Data were collected using a questionnaire and observation sheet, and analyzed using a paired sample t-test with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and actions (p = 0.001).  The effect size (Cohen's d) for changes in knowledge, attitudes, and actions in the intervention group was (2.88; 2.80; 2.60) , indicating a very large effect. The confidence intervals for changes in knowledge, attitudes, and actions were [33.8, 37.2], [34.5, 36.2], and [35.4, 39.5], respectively, with a 95% confidence level. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion: The parenting support pocketbook is effective in improving mothers’ knowledge, attitudes, and actions, and can be used as a health education medium in community settings.