Benefits of Child Behavior Interventions for Parent Well‐Being

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore the direct and indirect associations among GenerationPMTO (i.e., the “Oregon model” of a parent management training program), child behavior problems, and parent outcomes.BackgroundThe behavioral parent training program GenerationPMTO is designed to improve child behavior outcomes. Although parent well‐being is not targeted, previous studies have found collateral benefits on parental well‐being for GenerationPMTO in preventive low‐risk samples and high‐risk samples.MethodBootstrapped structured equation models were used to analyze 2 randomized trials that evaluate parent well‐being (mental health, somatic health, and vitality) in 2 versions of GenerationPMTO: Brief Parent Training (BPT) for a preventive sample (N = 216) and GenerationPMTO, which was higher‐risk and a mix of a clinical and a preventive sample (N = 137). We examined direct and indirect effects of treatment condition for parent well‐being via change in children's behavior problems, change in parenting practices, and level of parenting self‐efficacy.ResultsSix months after treatment, results revealed positive effects on targeted child and parent outcomes in both samples, whereas only the BPT intervention had direct effects on parent well‐being.ConclusionCollateral benefits in the low‐risk BPT sample suggest that helping children and their families at earlier stages of negative development may increase the potential for immediate collateral benefits.ImplicationsThe results highlight the preventive potential of a brief behavioral parent training intervention based on the social interaction learning model.