Enhancing Maternal Ability: Mediating for Pre-school Age Children’s Cognitive Development

The multifactorial risks that accompany IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorders) aggravate cognitive development deficits in children. The most important factors are poor cognitive stimulation and parenting. This study aimed to analyse the impact of parenting training on maternal skills to mediate cognitive development in children. The study was quasi-experimental pre-post with a control group design. A total of 78 mothers and their children, aged four to five years, from Purworejo participated in the research. Palpation to assess maternal goiter status and Mother-Child Picture-Talk Task (MCPTT) assessed the ability to perform cognitive mediation in children. The Smart Mother Class, a parenting skill intervention, was given for six months (16 meetings), each lasting 60-90 minutes. The risk of low family resources, both economic and caring resources, is indicated by the work and education of the fathers and mothers. Most mothers and fathers have elementary school education and below (60.3). The result show that three months after the intervention there was a significant effect at the positive level, and at six months, the intervention group showed a significant improvement (p< 0.001). Parenting training in low parenting resource settings could improve maternal skills for mediating cognitive development in pre-school age children.