This study examined the effects of a condensed parent training program on parent-child interactions in the home. Two parents participated in a positive parenting workshop that included explicit training of four skills and indirect training of two additional skills. To determine skill acquisition, both parents performed role plays and completed written exams pre- and post-training. Role play assessment results showed improvements in all skill areas for both participants. Written assessment results showed improvements for all skills directly taught except one. Multiple measures were examined in the home prior to and following the workshop to assess generalization. Results showed an increase in positive interactions and decrease in coercive interactions and undesirable child behavior for both participants.

Child maltreatment affects 900 thousand children in the U.S. every year and impacts all areas of daily functioning. Behavioral parent training (BPT) programs have effectively taught parenting and demonstrated externally valid outcomes (i.e., lower recidivism rates). Skill maintenance assessments for BPTs have mixed results. The Behavior Management and Parenting Services (BMAPS) program has shown effective skill training for court-mandated families. This study assessed skill maintenance and performance factors that may have impaired parents using an ABAB single-case research design in Phase 1 & external validity with a survey in Phase 2. Results for Phase 1 found that most BMAPS parents acquired all parenting tools to criteria, dropped below criteria at the 3 month probe, then fully demonstrated their regained skills after a brief review. Psychological and classroom factors do not appear to have systematically influenced performance at any time, although homework completion was associated with better scores at the end of class. Phase 2 results found a 91% reunification rate and a 0% recidivism rate over 1-3 years. All limitations aside, it appears that the BMAPS program is able to effectively train skills to criteria and these skills can be sustained with a booster session. The vast majority of parents we contacted were reunified with their children and none were involved with additional charges of child maltreatment.

Parent education classes offered in English and Spanish at a community based organization was the focus of the study. A positivist explanatory model with a pre-test and post-test design was used to evaluate the program.

No description available.

The effectiveness of guided imagery as an enhancement to the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program was explored during a shortened 8-week program using three parent groups of elementary-age students matched for parent training experience and couple participation: a) an imagery-modified STEP group (STEP-Im, n = 14); b) a traditional STEP group (STEP, n = 14); and c) a drop-out comparison group (n = 10). Guided imagery consisted of centering exercise(s) for focus and concentration; structured imagery of Adlerian concepts; and open-ended role-assumption imagery for clarifying personal values, the perspectives of others, and concept practice.

Parent intervention programs that assist parents in increasing their skills in behavior management techniques have experienced considerable success over the last 20 years. Parent training not only aids the parent in changing the child's behavior but may be beneficial in preventing future problems. When a program of this type is utilized with low income populations, cost effectiveness becomes an important issue. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of a parent intervention program when utilizing a group format versus a personalized, one-to-one approach to training. The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) was administered pre and posttreatment to 10 parents of children enrolled in Project Head Start. The experimenter examined the ECBI test results for the subjects in the group condition and personalized condition. Results were mixed with subjects in the group approach decreasing the frequency of their children's problem behaviors while subjects in the personalized condition decreased the number of behaviors that they felt were problems. Although the results indicated that a group approach was more effective in terms of efficiency, further examination of the subjects suggested that the two groups may have consisted of two different populations.

Collectively known as Behavioral Skills Training (BST), instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback procedures are often used in parent training programs. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline, single-subject component analysis of BST procedures was conducted with 12 parents of children aged 2-4 years in their homes. Written instructions, video modeling, and rehearsal-feedback training conditions were counterbalanced and randomly assigned to each parent. The frequency and quality of parent praise were measured during structured free-play and cleanup observations. BST 6 procedures produced comparable results in praise frequency and quality. For all parents, the cleanup scenario was associated with higher praise frequency than the play scenario. Common trends observed in the data and limitations of the study are discussed, along with directions for future component analysis research on BST procedures.

(1) Problem: Previous evidence showed that parenting programs effectively reduce externalizing problems and disorders in children living in high-income countries. However, there was less evidence about the effectiveness of parenting programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, there is a need for more studies that assess how parenting practices and family characteristics mediate the effects of parenting programs. The overall goal of this dissertation was to contribute to closing the gap in the evidence regarding the efficacy of parenting programs in and low- and middle-income countries. Also, this dissertation intended to increase the evidence regarding how parenting practice (i.e., supervision, parent child communication, and punishment) meditate the effects of parenting programs high-income and low- and middle-income countries. (2) Materials and methods: First, in chapter 2, I conducted a systematic review to synthesize the evidence regarding how parenting practices and family variables mediated the parenting programs effects. In chapter 3, I assessed the effect of Pilas program on child’s oppositional and conduct problems and aggressive behaviors. Also, I examined the mediating mechanism though parent-child communication, supervision, and punishment. Pilas was a multimodal program designed and implemented in Medellin Colombia. The program was evaluated through a cluster randomized control trial, including children aged 6-11 who were followed at baseline, 1-, and 3-year assessments. In chapter 4, I assessed how parent-child communication and supervision mediated the effect of Fast Track Project (FTP) on antisocial behaviors at grade 7 and 9, exploring the mediating mechanism of FTP in the early- and middle-adolescence. FTP is a multimodal intervention that aim to reduce conduct problem in childhood in four communities of the USA (Durham, NC, Nashville, TN, rural PA, and Seattle, WA.). (3) Results and conclusions: In the chapters 2, the systematic review showed that positive parenting and parental discipline had been the most studied mediators of parenting programs. However, there was limited evidence or methodological problems regarding other mechanisms (i.e., supervision, family functioning, parent-child relationships, harsh parenting, and ineffective discipline). In addition, few articles studied the medium (3-5 years follow-up) and long-term (more than 5 years) mediating mechanisms, and no articles assessed mediation mechanisms in low- and middle-income countries. Among, the most important methodological problems were the lack of control for confounding in the Mediator-Outcome pathway (M-Y pathway) and underreporting of the mediating results. In chapter 3, I presented the Pilas effects and mediated mechanisms. Children exposed to Pilas had 22% fewer conduct problems, 32% fewer oppositional problems, 36% less indirect aggression, 15% less total aggressive behaviors, and 22% less direct aggression. On the other hand, there were not program effects on child behaviors based on caregivers' reports. In addition, after three years of follow-up, Pilas reduced the number of psychological and psychical punishments reported by the children, but it did not have an effect on punishment as reported by caregivers. Pilas improved parent-restricted topics and role orienting reported by the caregivers. However, the Pilas effects were not mediated through the target mediators (supervision, parent-child communication, and punishment) so the mediation mechanisms remain unknown. Chapter 4 presented the medium- and long-term mediating mechanism of Fast-track project. I found that parent-child communication and supervision were not mediators of FTP effects on antisocial behaviors during early- and middle- adolescence. However, FTP improved antisocial behavior in early- and middle-adolescents and improve parenting practices such as parent-child communication and supervision. FTP reduced child antisocial behaviors in grades 7 and 9 and improved child communication and total communication and supervision variables, such as daily discussion of activities and curfew time. Finally, chapter 5 presented the most important dissertation findings and conclusions. There is evidence about the mediating mechanism of parenting programs. However, the evidence available is not conclusive and had multiple methodological weakness and underreporting. Pilas programs improved children’s conduct problems, oppositional problems and aggressive behavior and reduces punishment against the children. However, the program effect was not mediated through parenting practices. Regarding FTP, the program effects of antisocial behaviors were not mediated through parent-child communication and supervision during early- and middle- adolescence. Further studies should be conducted to enlarge the evidence about the effects of parenting programs on LMIC and research about how parent-child communication meditate the effects of parenting programs in both LMIC and HIC.

This study investigated the relationships among prepartum parenting support groups, social support, marital support, and maternal perceptions of infants. The subjects were 20 prospective first-time parents; nine of the 20 women attended the workshops with their husbands. Subjects completed measures of social support number and satisfaction (SSQ-S and SSQ-N), marital support (MAT), and perceptions of infants (NPI) at three times: prepartum, at one week postpartum, and at 8 weeks postpartum. Social support number and satisfaction, and marital support, were stable and highly correlated with each other at all three times. None of the support variables predicted perceptions of infants. Postpartum perceptions of infants were significantly more positive than prepartum perceptions, most likely due to increased experience with infants. Women with low levels of marital support were significantly more likely to experience Cesarean section birth. The design of this study was modest, utilizing no control group. Results are discussed in light of this limitation. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

This study examines the relationship between substance abuse and the need for parent skills training. Predicted is that adults in substance abuse treatment are likely to be in need of parent skills training. Previous research has associated the lack of parent skills with inept parenting practices that often leads to developmental problems in children.