Adoption of evidence-based parenting programs by community agencies requires an understanding of the variables that affect their implementation. This study examined variables associated with the implementation of Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Ontario. Surveys were completed on-line by 63 administrators, 54 supervisors, and 215 service providers from 69 different agencies. In a first article, I report on agencies’ pre-implementation openness, readiness, and resistance as well as on service providers’ self-reported use of and adherence to the program. Respondents from the vast majority of agencies reported openness to change prior to implementation but approximately half reported that they were not ready and experienced resistance. Although the majority of trained service providers used the program, a significant minority had not delivered it since training. The average adherence rate reported by service providers who used the program was 85.9%. In the second article, I report on the variables associated with implementation. The majority of respondents reported that they had adequate office resources to implement Triple P. Over half the managers (administrators and supervisors) and over two thirds of service providers reported that their agency had received adequate training. The most commonly identified barrier to implementation was agency characteristics which included organizational climate, service provider characteristics, and supervision. Adequate office resources and positive agency characteristics were associated with higher program usage by service providers. Service providers’ reports impacted their individual adherence rates whereas managers had broader perspectives of the quality of implementation in their organizations. Differences in reports between managers and service providers were not associated with usage or adherence.

Adoption of evidence-based parenting programs by community agencies requires an understanding of the variables that affect their implementation. This study examined variables associated with the implementation of Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Ontario. Surveys were completed on-line by 63 administrators, 54 supervisors, and 215 service providers from 69 different agencies. In a first article, I report on agencies’ pre-implementation openness, readiness, and resistance as well as on service providers’ self-reported use of and adherence to the program. Respondents from the vast majority of agencies reported openness to change prior to implementation but approximately half reported that they were not ready and experienced resistance. Although the majority of trained service providers used the program, a significant minority had not delivered it since training. The average adherence rate reported by service providers who used the program was 85.9%. In the second article, I report on the variables associated with implementation. The majority of respondents reported that they had adequate office resources to implement Triple P. Over half the managers (administrators and supervisors) and over two thirds of service providers reported that their agency had received adequate training. The most commonly identified barrier to implementation was agency characteristics which included organizational climate, service provider characteristics, and supervision. Adequate office resources and positive agency characteristics were associated with higher program usage by service providers. Service providers’ reports impacted their individual adherence rates whereas managers had broader perspectives of the quality of implementation in their organizations. Differences in reports between managers and service providers were not associated with usage or adherence.

Adoption of evidence-based parenting programs by community agencies requires an understanding of the variables that affect their implementation. This study examined variables associated with the implementation of Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Ontario. Surveys were completed on-line by 63 administrators, 54 supervisors, and 215 service providers from 69 different agencies. In a first article, I report on agencies’ pre-implementation openness, readiness, and resistance as well as on service providers’ self-reported use of and adherence to the program. Respondents from the vast majority of agencies reported openness to change prior to implementation but approximately half reported that they were not ready and experienced resistance. Although the majority of trained service providers used the program, a significant minority had not delivered it since training. The average adherence rate reported by service providers who used the program was 85.9%. In the second article, I report on the variables associated with implementation. The majority of respondents reported that they had adequate office resources to implement Triple P. Over half the managers (administrators and supervisors) and over two thirds of service providers reported that their agency had received adequate training. The most commonly identified barrier to implementation was agency characteristics which included organizational climate, service provider characteristics, and supervision. Adequate office resources and positive agency characteristics were associated with higher program usage by service providers. Service providers’ reports impacted their individual adherence rates whereas managers had broader perspectives of the quality of implementation in their organizations. Differences in reports between managers and service providers were not associated with usage or adherence.

Adoption of evidence-based parenting programs by community agencies requires an understanding of the variables that affect their implementation. This study examined variables associated with the implementation of Triple P – Positive Parenting Program in Ontario. Surveys were completed on-line by 63 administrators, 54 supervisors, and 215 service providers from 69 different agencies. In a first article, I report on agencies’ pre-implementation openness, readiness, and resistance as well as on service providers’ self-reported use of and adherence to the program. Respondents from the vast majority of agencies reported openness to change prior to implementation but approximately half reported that they were not ready and experienced resistance. Although the majority of trained service providers used the program, a significant minority had not delivered it since training. The average adherence rate reported by service providers who used the program was 85.9%. In the second article, I report on the variables associated with implementation. The majority of respondents reported that they had adequate office resources to implement Triple P. Over half the managers (administrators and supervisors) and over two thirds of service providers reported that their agency had received adequate training. The most commonly identified barrier to implementation was agency characteristics which included organizational climate, service provider characteristics, and supervision. Adequate office resources and positive agency characteristics were associated with higher program usage by service providers. Service providers’ reports impacted their individual adherence rates whereas managers had broader perspectives of the quality of implementation in their organizations. Differences in reports between managers and service providers were not associated with usage or adherence.

Child maltreatment is a significant public health issue. Reducing prevalence of coercive parenting is one means to reducing risk of maltreatment and negative developmental outcomes for children. Parental use of physical punishment has been associated with adverse consequences in childhood and adulthood. Parent education programs, such as the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), that promote alternatives to using physical punishment with children may reduce coercive parenting. In this study, parental use of physical punishment, non-physical forms of punishment, and non-punitive parenting responses were compared before and after parents attended Level 2 Triple P parent education seminars. International Parenting Survey-Canada (IPS-C) data were used to examine Belsky’s (1984) theoretical proposition that parental factors are the strongest predictor of parenting behaviour followed by contextual and child factors. Independent samples t-tests, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests, and a series of regression models were used to examine the study’s hypotheses. A total of 27 parents attended the Triple P sessions. Parental use of physical punishment decreased on only one of the four physical punishment items (shaking) post- intervention. Although there were no significant differences in overall use of non-physical forms of punishment and non-punitive parenting strategies pre and post-intervention, there were significant increases in frequency of use of individual scale items pre- to post-intervention. IPS-C sample of 2,340 Canadian parents was used to examine Belsky’s postulate. Results were mixed and provided partial support for the postulate. Child behaviour problems, participation in parent education programs, parent employment status, and parent age predicted coercive parenting. Findings highlight the need to further examine these hypotheses. / October 2016

The effectiveness of parenting programs in preventing child problem behaviors have been increasingly supported in the literature. However, studies revealed contradictory findings of how children with severe problem levels benefit from the programs. In this study, I performed secondary analysis on parent-reported externalizing behaviors, ADHD and ODD symptoms of 749 children, aged 3-12 years, to evaluate the effectiveness of four different parenting programs on children with clinical and non-clinical problems. Mixed design ANOVA models revealed that the programs significantly reduced children’s externalizing behaviors, ADHD and ODD symptoms at post-test. Furthermore, the same mixed design ANOVA models and follow-up tests revealed consistent significant differences in program response for children with and without initial clinical problems on all outcomes. Cohen’s d within-group change effect sizes showed consistently large program effects for children with clinical problem levels on all outcomes. Findings indicate that group-based parenting programs are effective for children with externalizing behavior, ADHD and ODD symptoms, at least in the short term, and that children with clinical problem levels may benefit substantially.

Canada is a nation known for being highly multiethnic due to its rich history of immigration. But many immigrant parents struggle with acculturation and, at the same time, they are faced with the challenge of raising their children in a new country. This study explored the process of transition among newcomer mothers living in Winnipeg. Using a qualitative approach, ten in-depth interviews were conducted to gain a greater understanding of the process that parents go through as they learn about a particular disciplinary approach - Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting (PDEP). Four main themes emerged: 1) the meaning of parenting; 2) a new vision of parenting; 3) conflicting notions of discipline; and 4) navigating the acculturation gap. Each primary theme had several sub-themes that expressed the process of transition to a new parenting context. Many mothers had experienced corporal punishment as children but none approved of it. They explained that PDEP had provided them with a new non-violent vision of parenting. Mothers described the parenting changes they had made and how their confidence had increased since learning about PDEP. They also described the impact that the loss of extended family support had on parenting dynamics. Although some of the mothers observed that the PDEP program had not decreased the acculturation gap between them and their children, it had helped them to better understand their children’s perspectives. The implications of the findings for professionals who support newcomer parents are discussed. / February 2016

This essay explores the design, measures and effectiveness of parenting programs for incarcerated parents. There is a growing concern for children who have incarcerated parents. The potential effects of parental incarceration and the intergenerational nature of crime and delinquency is one reason to develop parenting programs. Experiences of parental incarceration are believed to cause mental, physical, emotional and economic hardship for children. Parenting programs might be beneficial for both parents and their children. Results suggest that further efforts need to be made to support incarcerated parents during incarceration as well as after release.

SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund: Föräldrar har en viktig roll i att främja barns hälsa, och har som vårdnadshavare ett ansvar för barnets utveckling. Föräldraförmåga och relation till barnet är faktorer som påverkar utvecklingen. Positivt föräldraskap handlar om att skapa en god relation mellan föräldrar och barn genom att använda positiv förstärkning och beröm i uppfostran samt logiska och naturliga konsekvenser av olika beteenden. Föräldraskapsstil har betydelse för förekomst av beteendeproblem hos barn och föräldrars olika beteende och föräldrastrategier påverkar barnets språk- och framtida utveckling. Samhället har en viktig roll i att erbjuda föräldrastöd.  Syfte: Syftet var att belysa effekter av olika evidensbaserade föräldrastödsprogram till föräldrar och barn upp till skolålder. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en litteraturöversikt. Tjugofem artiklar med kvantitativ design RCT eller CRT granskades med kvalitetsmall från Forsberg och Wengström (2015) och resultatet sammanställdes till olika kategorier. Resultat: De ingående programmen var främst från USA, det var tidiga interventioner i spädbarns- eller i förskoleålder och mestadels mammor deltog. Sex olika typer av kategorier identifierades i resultatet, tre om effekter på föräldrar och tre på barn. Förbättringar sågs i föräldrarnas språkbruk gentemot sina barn, i positiva föräldraskapsstrategier och föräldrarnas mående samt i förbättringar av barnens språk, beteendeproblem och utveckling. Slutsats: Föräldrastöd i form av tidiga interventioner kan ge positiva effekter på barns hälsa och utveckling. Studiens resultat genererar kunskap till distriktssköterskans preventiva arbete med föräldrar och barn som att stödja språkutveckling, positiva uppfostringsstrategier och lyhördhet. / ABSTRACT Background: Parents have an important role in promoting their child's health and as caregivers they have the responsibility for their child's development. The capability as a parent and the relationship with the child are factors impacting child development. Positive parenting means to create a good relationship between the parent and the child by using positive reinforcement and praise, and to use logical and natural consequences for different behaviors. The parenting style has an effect on the occurrence of a child's behavioral problems, and different parenting behaviors and strategies affect the child's language and future development. The society has an important role in offering parent support. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of evidence-based parenting programs for parents of infants up to school age. Method: The study was performed as a literature review. Twenty-five articles with a quantitative RCT or CRT-design were examined regarding their quality using a template from Forsberg and Wengström (2015) and the results were analysed and divided into different categories. Results: The included programs were mainly from the US, all were early interventions for infants or preschoolers and mostly mothers attended. Six different categories were identified in the results, three categories about parents and three about children. Improvements were seen concerning parents' use of language towards their child, in positive parenting strategies, and parents' wellbeing, and in children's language production, problem behavior and development. Conclusion:  Parental support in the form of early interventions can have a positive effect on children's health and development.  The study generated new knowledge for district nurses’ preventive work with parents and children in regard to the support of language development, positive parenting strategies and parental sensitivity.

本研究以美國心理學會（APA）暴力預防處與美國幼兒教育協會所共同發展的ACT親職教育方案（Adults and Children Together- Raising Safe Kids Program）為範本，將一個在美國與世界各地發展將近15年的方案首度引進臺灣並應用於臺灣的家庭中，期待能夠藉由這一套社會認知取向的預防性介入「ACT親職教育方案」來增進父母的親職教養態度與知識，降低父母親的親職壓力，並進一步了解親職壓力與兒童行為問題的關聯性。 研究參與者為30位育有0-12歲孩子的父母，其中15位家長接受為期8週的ACT親職教育團體作為實驗處理，另外15位家長則未接受任何處理，有效樣本共23位，實驗組家長12位，對照組家長11位。本研究採用親職壓力量表簡式版與兒童行為檢核表實施前、後測，並針對實驗組實施三個月後的追蹤測量並輔以質性問卷蒐集更完整的資料。 本研究採用無母數統計法Wilcoxon等級檢定與Mann-Whitney U檢定，檢驗親職壓力感受在前測、後測及追蹤測量之間的差異，另以Spearman相關分析檢視親職壓力與兒童行為問題之間的關聯性。研究結果顯示，ACT親職教育為實驗組家長帶來正向的影響發生在三個月後的追蹤測量，特別是在「困難兒童分量表」的親職壓力上有顯著的改善，且親職壓力總分與兒童行為整體問題呈現高度正相關。 / This study investigated whether the ACTdults and Children Together: Raising Safe Kids (ACT-Rprogram causes effects on reducing parenting stress and examined the correlation between parenting stress and child behavioral problems. The ACT program, developed by American Psychological Association in collaboration with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, is a child maltreatment prevention program for parents of young children. Twenty-three parents having children aged 0-12 completed the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Twelve of these parents took part in eight-week ACT-RSK program and learned effective parenting including child development, anger management, social problem-solving skills, non-violent discipline and effects of violent media on children. The remaining eleven parents were placed on the wait listreceived treatment as usual. Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann–Whitney U test were used to respectively compare the intra-group data and inter-group data. Results indicated a positive impact especially on the difficult child subscale of parenting stress during three-month follow-up. Qualitative data collected through open questions in three-month follow-up questionnaire also demonstrated that parents perceived numerous benefits to the ACT-RSK program and felt less stress in the area of parent-child interaction.