Parent Consultation

Abstract

We tested the effectiveness of a self-help manual-based homework intervention program for parents on children's homework problems as implemented through behavioral consultation. Parents were selected through local school psychologists' nominations based on the children's histories ofincomplete homework completion and through advertisements in the local supermarkets and newspapers. Two sets of parents were provided with a manual and instructed to implement the treatment across two academic subject areas. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed through a multiple baseline design with homework accuracy and completion rates as the primary dependent variables. The results indicated that one child demonstrated improved homework accuracy and completion rates within one academic area during the intervention. Also, one parent reported a perceived improvement in daily homework behaviors as assessed through a daily parent rating scale. However, both sets of parents reported overall improvement in homework behavior during treatment evaluation and a three-month follow-up assessment with the Homework Problem Checklist. At the completion of the intervention, the parents and children reported having positive perceptions of the manual-based homework program. The conclusions of previous research are discussed in light of our results.