Jocson, Rosanne M.

Background
Current evidence on adolescent participation in violence research has primarily measured distress, harm or upset using quantitative methods. There are relatively few studies which have employed qualitative methods to understand adolescent emotional experiences, and to articulate the experiences of participation from their own perspective.

Objective
This study aimed to assess adolescents' experiences of participating in research on violence in different contexts, namely Romania, South Africa, and the Philippines.

Methods
A purposive sample of adolescents (N = 53, 51 % female) were recruited from rural, urban, and peri-urban areas in Romania, the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, and Metro Manila, Philippines. Semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews and drawings sought adolescent perspectives on their experiences of participation, including the emotions they felt, and their perceptions of research on violence.

Results
Drawing on analysis of interviews and drawings, adolescents reported a layered emotional experience, ranging from sadness, anger, apprehension, and upset, to joy, relief, and laughter. Their emotional experiences were driven by participation as a relational encounter, both with the researchers involved, as well as with other children and young people they encountered. Adolescents emphasized participation as enabling disclosure of difficult experiences, and the creation of awareness of violence.

Conclusions
Adolescent perspectives of participation in research on violence are nuanced and encompass their lived experience as well as the fundamentally relational nature of participation. Adolescents experienced increased awareness of topics in violence and perceived research participation as enabling disclosure and possible help-seeking. Measures of participation impact developed along with adolescents, which reflect this complexity, are needed.

This study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of MaPaChat, a parent support intervention delivered using Viber group chat to caregivers in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty caregivers of children aged 4–17 from predominantly low-income households participated in a culturally adapted version of the Parenting for Lifelong Health ParentChat programme. Feasibility was assessed by enrolment, attendance, and dropout rates. Semi-structured interviews with caregivers and programme facilitators explored programme acceptability. A single-group pre-post design was used to explore changes in child maltreatment, positive parenting, parenting stress, and other secondary outcomes. The mean attendance rate was 82% and the dropout rate was 10%. Caregivers and facilitators found the programme helpful in enhancing parenting knowledge and skills and were satisfied with the programme delivery using Viber group chat but also reported experiencing technological challenges. Pre-post comparisons suggested that the intervention has potential in reducing physical and emotional abuse and associated risk factors. The findings suggest that a parenting intervention delivered over digital group chat by trained community service providers may be a feasible and acceptable way to support caregivers in low-resource settings.