LEAD has four main objectives: (i) Develop a parenting skills intervention; (ii) Assess its causal impacts, with and without prior preschool exposure; (iii) Evaluate its equity effects on child development outcomes; and (iv) Analyse mechanisms for impact at child, parent, and family levels. The first 30 months have laid the groundwork for these goals.
1. Development of Parenting Intervention. We devoted substantial time to design an evidence-based, culturally appropriate programme that empowers Ghanaian parents in supporting adolescents. We conducted extensive formative research, incorporating insights from psychology, cognitive-behavioural science, and social sciences. We renamed the programme from TEEN+ to Pempamsie Family Program (PFP). Pempamsie is a well-known West African symbol meaning “united we are stronger,” highlighting the intervention’s family-strengthening focus.
2. Development of Data Collection Instruments and Analysis Plan. To rigorously assess intervention impacts and mechanisms (Aims ii-iv), we designed and field-tested parent and child questionnaires based on our thory of change.
We also published the pre-analysis plan to ensure research integrity in the Social Science Registry. We are currently developing survey questionnaires for the last round of survey.
3. Ethical Clearances. Ensuring ethical integrity, we secured approvals from University of Barcelona, Innovations for Poverty Action, and Ghana Health Services IRBs, along with clearance from the ERC ethics committee. In early 2026, we received a monitoring visit by the Ghana Health Services, which was satisfied about our practices in the field.
4. Survey Data Collection. Originally, recruitment was planned via phone, but new SIM card registration laws rendered many numbers inactive. This led to tracking challenges, requiring a shift to in-person recruitment. While resource-intensive, this approach improved engagement, ensured informed consent, and enhanced sample retention. Given this shift, we revised our survey timeline, incorporating a new pre-intervention baseline survey to improve statistical precision. Data collection
for the second survey round began in January 2025, with hair cortisol data collection starting in February. We completed both in June 2025. Survey data analysis is currently on-going. Cost and school data have been also collected.
5. Implementation of the PFP We successfully implemented group sessions for over 1,100 families across three regions in Ghana, strengthening parenting skills to support adolescent development, and
sent SMS to intervention families for around nine months.
6. Qualitative data. We collected the first round of qualitative data, which focuses on participants’ perspectives of the PFP. Preliminary analysis highlights positive effects.
7. Publications. We have published five articles and several others are at different stages of development. Seven others are currently submitted/under-review.
8. Outreach and communication of results. We have presented preliminary data in two conferences and we have more planned for the next months.
9. Spin-offs. I received a seal-of-excellence for a ERC POC in which i plan to test a video-based PFP for rural areas.
