Gender differences in intake characteristics and behavior change among children in families receiving parent management training

Abstract

Participants were 323 families with children (aged 4–12 years), among whom 87 (26.9%) were girls. Gender differences before treatment with Parent Management Training—the Oregon model (PMTO) and pre–post gender differences in behavioral change (regression analyses) were examined. At pre treatment, girls demonstrated less externalizing problem behavior according to parents and teachers, but more internalizing problems according to parents. Teachers reported girls to be more socially competent than boys and they reported more comorbidity among boys than girls. At post treatment, girls had more likely changed in a positive direction according to teacher ratings of externalizing behavior and social competence, but not according to any of the parent-reported variables. In sum, girls were not more at risk than boys at intake to treatment and PMTO appeared to be an equally effective intervention for girls and boys. The few gender differences in outcomes indicated that girls benefited more from PMTO than boys. The limitations and practical implications of the findings are discussed.