# SERES: La Paz Empieza en Casa—Evaluation of an Intervention Program to Reduce Corporal Punishment and Parenting Stress, and to Enhance Positive Parenting Among Colombian Parents

## TL;DR

This study evaluates a program in Colombia that reduces physical punishment and improves parenting practices using a culturally adapted intervention and AI models.

## Contribution

The study introduces a culturally adapted parenting intervention and applies artificial neural networks to analyze behavioral changes.

## Key findings

- The intervention group showed significant improvements in parenting practices and emotion regulation.
- An artificial neural network model classified participants with 74.6% accuracy, identifying key predictors like emotional suppression and parental support.

## Abstract

Background: Corporal punishment (CP) remains a common disciplinary practice in many countries, despite evidence of its negative consequences for children’s development. Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of a culturally adapted intervention aimed at reducing parents’ use of CP. Method: Using a 12-month quasi-experimental longitudinal design, the study included an intervention group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 17). We administered standardized instruments at pretest and posttest to assess changes in parenting behavior, emotional regulation, and perceptions of child behavior. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to model nonlinear relationships and classify group membership. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in parenting practices and emotion regulation. The ANN model classified participants with 74.6% accuracy. Key predictive variables included emotional suppression, physical punishment, and parental support and acceptance. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of the SERES program in reducing harmful parenting behaviors and promoting positive practices. Additionally, the use of AI models proved to be valuable for understanding complex behavioral changes, offering a promising approach for optimizing future interventions aimed at strengthening parenting and preventing family violence.