Engagement of families in treatment for childhood conduct problems

Abstract

This study examined critical pretreatment variables related to the engagement and retention of families in mental health services designed to reduce serious childhood aggression. One hundred and twenty-four families of 5- to 9-year-old boys who met diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder were randomly assigned to receive either parent-only, child-only, or combined parent-child treatments. Premature termination was greatest in the parent-only condition. Pretreatment attributional motivations that were externalizing-oriented showed a clear association with premature termination. Moreover, assignment to a treatment condition that did not match parents' incoming motivations was predictive of premature termination. Overall, the findings have implications for the further study of barriers and facilitators for the delivery of mental health treatment for childhood conduct problems, especially with regard to pretreatment motivational cognitions and engagement issues.