Training the Parents of Juvenile Offenders: State of the Art and Recommendations for Service Delivery

Abstract

Parent training is consistently highlighted as one of the most effective means of preventing delinquency and treating young children with conduct problems, and it has proven to be one of the most cost-effective interventions for doing so. There is, however, far less evidence supporting the efficacy of parent-training programs with adolescents and juvenile offenders. Nonetheless, it still seems to be one of the more promising methods for treating the behavior problems of adolescent delinquents, especially when used in conjunction with other carefully selected program components. We begin with an overview of parent training, highlighting the key components of successful programs. Research on the efficacy of parent training in the treatment of behavior problems among children and adolescents is discussed, particularly the differential impact of parental-training programs with specific groups of youths and families. We then discuss the ways in which parent training has been combined with other interventions in the treatment of delinquency. We conclude with a discussion of the problems encountered in implementing parent training, including recommendations for meeting the unique challenges of effective program implementation.

An Exploration of Family and Juvenile Justice Systems to Reduce Youth HIV/STI Risk

“…In particular, involvement in the probation system appeared to have a positive influence on multiple domains of family functioning as the POs worked to improve communication between the parent and the teen as well as improve parental leverage to more successfully monitor or set limits with their teens. This finding differs from prior studies that have highlighted a culture of blame, conflict, and mistrust between juvenile probation officers and parents (Mulford & Redding, ; Varma, ). The positive influences of probation were more salient for families of teens who engaged in sexual risk, suggesting that the probation system is particularly effective in working with high‐risk or high‐need families.…”

Young Adults’ Recollections of Parental Rejection and Self-Reported Aggression: The Mediating Roles of Insecure Adult Attachment and Emotional Dysregulation

“…We are not aware of any theoretical or empirical studies that have explicitly examined salient variables that may be influencing the association between adults' recollections of perceived mother and father rejection and self-reported aggression. This lack of research is notable considering the substantial and ongoing negative impact of young adult aggression in relationships and communities (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2010) as well as the growing need for effective treatment programs for adolescent/young adult aggression (e.g., Mulford and Redding 2008). Thus, we sought to address these issues by identifying potential intermediary factors through which perceptions of parental rejection influence aggressive behavior among young adults.…”

Exploring parents’ understandings of their child’s journey into offending behaviours: A narrative analysis

“…However, other multi-agency interventions may also be appropriate, where professionals work together to provide collaborative support to the family. In general, a wide approach is needed which focusses on more aspects of the child's environment (Mulford & Redding, 2008). Parents in this study specifically spoke about how they felt 'isolated' and that they had limited support.…”