Social competence during kindergarten has been linked to adaptive teacher-child and peer relationships. The quality of parents’ interaction with their children during the toddler years may promote better social development placing children on a trajectory towards social competence. Quite possibly, children vary in how responsive they are to parenting efforts. This study evaluated the extent to which positive parenting predicted change in social competence from child age 3 to 4 among 137 parent-child dyads. Observational measures of positive parenting and fearful temperament were analyzed when children were 3-years of age. Teacher reports of social competence in the classroom were collected during children’s 4-year old assessment. Positive parenting was positively associated with children’s level of social competence. No evidence emerged of fearful temperament as a moderator for the association between positive parenting and social competence. Regardless of children’s temperament, all children benefit from positive parenting during early childhood.

Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) endorse increased levels of parenting stress and subsequently employ ineffective parenting practices. For children with comorbid conduct problems, mothers report more parenting stress than mothers of children with ADHD alone. I investigated the relationships among child ADHD diagnostic status, parenting stress, parenting behaviors (i.e., involvement and positive parenting) and child conduct problems in 78 African American mothers of children with and without ADHD. Mothers completed a demographic questionnaire, a semi-structured clinical interview, the ADHD Rating scale (also completed by teachers), the Impairment Rating Scale, the Parenting Stress Index – Short Form, and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Simultaneous multiple regressions indicated that both child ADHD and conduct problems significantly predicted parenting stress. However, these child variables did not predict parenting behaviors, and child conduct problems did not moderate the association between child ADHD and parenting stress. Results highlight how parenting stress may be the most integral target in psychosocial treatment for African American mothers. Given this, future researchers should longitudinally investigate these relationships and clinicians should ensure parenting stress and child conduct problems are integrated into ADHD treatment.

Positive parenting promotes children's proper cognitive and personality development and supports high academic performance and achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between social support and positive parenting practices among two-parent, African American families of preteens. This study was based on Baumrind's model of parenting behaviors. Survey and correlation methods were used to gather data from a convenience sample of 103 2-parent, African American families with preteens (aged 9-11 years) from different income neighborhoods in a Northeastern metropolitan region of the United States. Logistic and linear regression analyses were conducted. According to study findings, social support (coparenting support and perceived functional support from friends and family) significantly predicted positive parenting practices (quality of the parent/child relationship, parental monitoring, and consistency of parents' disciplinary practices). When the independent contributions of each of the social support variables were examined in the regression analyses, only perceived functional support from friends and family on parental monitoring and consistency of parents' disciplinary practices was statistically significant. Implications for positive social change include a need to educate 2-parent, African American couples on the importance of maintaining positive relationships among themselves and with social support networks and the role that coparenting support and functional support from friends and family has on positive parenting.

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.

The current study examined the effects of parenting congruence on child outcome behaviors. Participants were 144 African American families with a child between 9 and 12 years old. Mothers and fathers provided self report on their behavior regarding monitoring, positive parenting, and parental beliefs. Children provided self report regarding child problem behavior, and sexual intentions. Results revealed the more congruent parents were on positive parenting behaviors the more boys thought about sex; however, results for girls were not significant. Additionally, moderation trends suggested when both parents are high on monitoring behaviors girls have thought about sex less, whereas boys think about sex less when both parents are low on monitoring behaviors. Another trend suggested the more conservative both parents are regarding attitudes about dating, the less likely boys are to have thought about sex. Thus, the combined behavior of both parents on specific parenting factors can affect boys and girls differently.

The current study examined the effects of parenting congruence on child outcome behaviors. Participants were 144 African American families with a child between 9 and 12 years old. Mothers and fathers provided self report on their behavior regarding monitoring, positive parenting, and parental beliefs. Children provided self report regarding child problem behavior, and sexual intentions. Results revealed the more congruent parents were on positive parenting behaviors the more boys thought about sex; however, results for girls were not significant. Additionally, moderation trends suggested when both parents are high on monitoring behaviors girls have thought about sex less, whereas boys think about sex less when both parents are low on monitoring behaviors. Another trend suggested the more conservative both parents are regarding attitudes about dating, the less likely boys are to have thought about sex. Thus, the combined behavior of both parents on specific parenting factors can affect boys and girls differently.

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.

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.