Tuning in to Kids Together: Exploring a parenting program designed for parents raising children together with the focus of improving children's emotions and behaviours.

Tuning in to Kids Together is a modified version of Tuning in to Kids (TIK). TIK is an evidence-based program which that aims to improve parents’ emotional communication, and consequently improve children’s emotional functioning. Randomised control trials demonstrated that TIK leads to significant changes to parental emotion socialisation practices, improvements to child emotional regulation, and reduction in child behavioural problems (Havighurst et al., 2013; Wilson, Havighurst, Harley, 2012). Although TIK is effective, researchers (e.g. Fienberg, 2002) emphasise the importance of incorporating co-parenting content into parenting programs. The co-parenting relationship is strongly and proximally related to parenting (Abidin & Brunner, 1995), therefore it is a modifiable factor that could improve emotional parenting. In light of the aforementioned research, this study is exploring the feasibility and effectiveness of TIK when it is modified to be delivered to co-parents. The aim of this research is to provide preliminary evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of Tuning in to Kids Together, a modified version of TIK. This study will address the following research questions: • What factors will impede and facilitate parent engagement and the program delivery? • Will the Tuning in to Kids Together program lead to improvements in: a) parent emotion socialisation practices measured via parent self-report, b) co-parent functioning on parent-self reports, c) parent emotion regulation on parent self-report, d) improved child emotional measured via parent and teacher reports, and e) child behavioural functioning measured via parent and teacher reports B) Research Design The study will use an experimental, longitudinal design. Parents will complete three online surveys: immediately before, immediately after, and 6 months after completing the parenting program. Additionally, parents in the will complete phone interviews after participating in the program. Teachers will complete measures on the child immediately before and at a 6-month follow-up. Facilitators will complete an experience check-list before delivering the program, various measures (fidelity check-list, class attendance, parent participation) at the end of each session, and participate in a phone interview after delivering the program. C) Analyses and Outcomes Analyses will be conducted to determine whether TIK improved parent and child outcomes. Thematic analysis will be performed to analyse information about program engagement and delivery. Findings will be reported in peer review journals and at conferences.