Preventive intervention with mentalization-based treatment for parents of young children with parenting difficulties in China: An RCT of lighthouse parenting program

Objectives This study evaluated the efficacy of a culturally adapted version of the Lighthouse Parenting Programme (LPP) in reducing parenting stress and preventing childhood and early adolescence mental health difficulties in the Chinese context. It further assessed the program’s feasibility and acceptability.Methods Sixty-four parents of children aged 4–14 years, reporting elevated parenting stress (PSI ≥ 85), were randomly assigned to an LPP immediate intervention group (n = 30) or a waitlist control group (n = 34). Assessments of parenting stress, child behavioral difficulties and temperament, parental personality functioning, mentalizing, self-efficacy, mental health, and parent–child relationship quality were conducted at baseline, post-intervention/waitlist, and at a 3-month follow-up. Participant satisfaction was also measured.Results Relative to controls, the LPP group showed greater pre-to-post improvements across multiple domains (all p < .05), including parenting stress, child behavioral difficulties, child temperament, parental self-efficacy, personality functioning, mental health, and parent–child relationship quality. These gains appeared to be maintained at 3-month follow-up. Participant satisfaction was also high.Conclusion The culturally adapted LPP was associated with reduced parenting stress and lower early mental health risks in Chinese children, providing preliminary evidence for its feasibility and efficacy in this cultural context.