Promoting early childhood development through nurturing parenting: Feasibility of the ASCENDI program for adolescent mothers in the Dominican Republic

The study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a 12-session group-based nurturing care intervention for adolescent mothers in the Dominican Republic. The research was conducted in Boca Chica with 14 adolescent mothers under 20 years of age, of whom 11 (78.6%) completed both assessment phases. The program was based on the World Health Organization's Nurturing Care Framework and addressed early childhood development, affective care, positive discipline, and maternal well-being. Results showed statistically significant improvements in parental efficacy (increase from 3.38 to 3.84 points) and cognitive stimulation activities (increase from 0.42 to 0.65 points). Participant satisfaction was high with a mean of 4.64 on a five-point scale. The ASCENDI program demonstrated feasibility and preliminary effectiveness in improving parental efficacy and cognitive stimulation among adolescent mothers.