Supporting parenting among Syrian refugees in Lebanon: a randomized controlled trial of the caregiver support intervention

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Caregiver Support Intervention (CSI), which emphasizes caregiver wellbeing together with training in positive parenting. Here, a two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted of the CSI with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, with an intent-to-treat design, from September 2019–December 2020. Overall, it found CSI reduced harsh parenting and caregiver distress, and demonstrated the value of addressing caregiver wellbeing as a pathway to strengthening parenting in adversity. These effects were achieved despite a pandemic-related lockdown that impacted implementation, a severe economic crisis, and widespread social unrest.