Self-administered behavioral family intervention for parents of toddlers: Part I. Efficacy.

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of a self-administered behavioral family intervention for 126 parents of toddlers. The effects of 2 different levels of intensity of the self-administered intervention were contrasted (self-administered alone or self-administered plus brief therapist telephone assistance). The results provide support for the efficacy of the self-administered form of behavioral family intervention. There were significant short-term reductions in reported child behavior problems and improvements in maternal parenting style, parenting confidence, and anger. Families who received minimal therapist assistance made more clinically significant gains compared with families who completed the program with no therapist assistance. The intervention effects were maintained at 6-month follow-up. The implications of the findings for the population-level delivery of behavioral family interventions are discussed.

Microanalytic coding versus global rating of maternal parenting behaviour

“…This finding was contrary to past research where more aversive behaviour in the parents of children diagnosed with clinical disorders has been found (Dadds et al, 1992). The findings may be due to a lack of observed aversive behaviour in the current participant sample, similar to prior research (e.g., Morawska et al, 2006). The lack of significant differences between the clinic and control samples might also reflect the small sample size of the study, or indicate that mothers concerned about their child's feeding difficulties are not being less positive, but rather using effective parenting in an inappropriate manner, such as praising a child before the child has complied with a request.…”

“…This finding was not expected based on past research (Bor et al, 2002;Morawska et al, 2006). However, the lack of significant results correspond with the finding that there was no significant difference in the base rates of positivity between the clinic and control samples.…”

“…In the context of this study, we define sensitivity as the ability to discriminate between different groups. On the premise that global rating systems are able to incorporate context, appropriateness, and overall behaviour rather than focus on a behaviour count, it could be expected that global rating would be more sensitive in populations with low base rates of aversive, or high base rates of non-aversive behaviour, when compared to a microanalytic coding systems (Morawska et al, 2006;Sanders et al, 2000). For example, a microanalytic code may not detect the presence of rarely occurring and potentially socially undesirable behaviours (e.g., parent spanking a child) simply because this behaviour has a low probability of occurrence and the parent may refrain from using spanking in an observational context.…”

Self-administered behavioural family intervention for parents of toddlers: Effectiveness and dissemination

“…It is interesting to note that the effects evident in this study are stronger than those in a concurrent study (Morawska & Sanders, 2006). In this study, both parents reported improvements in their children's behaviour (cf.…”

Triple P-Positive Parenting Program as a public health approach to strengthening parenting.

“…Parental willingness to participate in a parenting program depends on a number of factors, among them, the nature of the program offered, how it is delivered, perceptions of the parents as to whether the program is relevant and meets their needs, how much time they will need to invest in completing the program, and the payoff they anticipate relative to other uses of their time (Morawska & Sanders, 2006). A number of strategies, such as using the mass media to normalize and destigmatize participation, can be used to promote engagement.…”