It is common for mothers of young children to experience challenges with mood, attention, and motivation. These feelings can make it difficult to find the patience and energy that young children require. Many mothers report that parenting is less enjoyable than they expected.

Oregon Research Institute scientists created Mom-Net to help mothers learn new ways to cope with difficult moods and increase positive interactions with children. Head Start mothers played an important role in shaping Mom-Net by sharing their experiences and ideas. They provided feedback to tailor Mom-Net to the needs of Head Start families. 

We know that Mom-Net is a great fit for mothers of Head Start children. Evidence shows that Mom-Net can improve mothers’ mood ratings, improve parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy, and even promote child wellbeing and development. 

Now, we want to learn whether Mom-Net can also be a great fit for Head Start agencies. We hope to learn how best to fit Mom-Net into the Head Start community in order to reach mothers in need of support. To work towards this goal, we collaborate with Head Start agencies across the country to develop implementation and delivery procedures that will work for them.