THE LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF A BEHAVIORAL PARENT TRAINING INTERVENTION FOR FAMILIES WITH TWO-YEAR-OLDS.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 138
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Behavioral.; Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Education, Adult and Continuing.; Sociology, Individual and Family Studies.
Description: Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) has received growing support and attention as both a treatment and prevention strategy for childhood behavior problems. However, there is little research supporting the effectiveness of BPT with young children or supporting the long-term effectiveness of BPT.

The current study is the one-year follow-up of 46 parents and toddlers who participated in a nurse-run 10 week BPT intervention for increasing parenting self-efficacy, reducing parenting stress, promoting positive parent-child interactions, and reducing negative child behaviors. Consistent with self-efficacy theory, it was hypothesized that BPT would lead to increased parenting self-efficacy, reduced parenting stress, more positive parent-child interactions, and reduced negative child behavior and that these outcomes would be maintained up to one-year post-intervention. In addition, it was hypothesized that the amount of participation (dosage) would be correlated with greater gains in parent-child outcomes at one-year.

Families were assigned to either an intervention or comparison group. While families were assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at three-month and one-year follow-ups, the focus of this study is on the one-year follow-up. All families who participated in the original study participated in the current one-year follow-up study. Observational and self-report data were examined using repeated measures ANOVA and associated Helmert Contrasts.

At one-year post-intervention, all effects obtained up to three-months post-intervention were maintained. Specifically, intervention mothers reported greater parenting self-efficacy, less parenting stress, and demonstrated more positive parent-child interactions than comparison mothers. Minimal BPT effects were found for fathers. Intervention group dosage was related to reductions in mother critical statements and negative physical behaviors at one-year post-intervention.

Generalizability of the findings is limited by the small, homogenous sample. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-02, Section: B, page: 0992.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1996.

School code: 0591.