Parent Training Program Research Articles

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Parent Training Pamphlets: An Intervention Study Among Parents at Child Health Checkups.

Parent training (PT) programs are recognized as effective interventions that enhance parenting techniques and improve the parent-child relationship. In Japan, these programs are increasingly implemented to help parents manage behavioral issues in children. This study evaluated the effectiveness of PT pamphlets designed and distributed in Shioya Town, Japan, by comparing outcomes between the intervention and control groups and within subgroups of parents, categorized based on their children's need for follow-up health checkups. The study included an intervention group that received PT pamphlets during their 1.5-year health checkups and a control group that did not. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires at the 3.5-year health checkups, assessing adherence to 3 recommended parenting techniques. The analysis focused on comparing intervention and control groups, evaluating adherence to 2 recommended parenting techniques versus one or none. The study also analyzed adherence to each recommended parenting technique within subgroups of parents whose children needed follow-up health checkups and those whose children did not. The study included 114 participants, with 55 in the intervention group and 59 in the control group. Analysis revealed that 29.1% of the intervention group adhered to 2 recommended parenting techniques, compared with 24.6% in the control group. However, no significant differences were observed between the intervention and control groups in adherence to 2 recommended techniques versus one or none, or to any single technique among the 3. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences in adherence among parents whose children were identified to have developmental concerns at the 1.5-year health checkup and were required to have follow-up checkups, specifically in the "avoid immediate reactions" approach between intervention and control groups. The PT pamphlets effectively increased adherence to recommended parenting techniques in the intervention group among children requiring follow-ups. This underscores the importance of culturally adapted PT programs and demonstrates the potential of simple educational interventions in improving parenting styles.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Combining Social Skills Training and Two Parent Programs in Improving the Social Competence of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Background/Objectives: The objective of the present study was to examine the extent of effectiveness of two parent programs to complement an intervention in social skills for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Fifteen children with ADHD participated in a program to develop social skills, while their parents were randomly assigned to two parent training programs that had different formats: a Parenting School (N = 8) or a Parent Workshop (N = 7). There were no significant differences between parents of both groups in knowledge about ADHD, obedience to commands, or strategies for addressing desirable and undesirable behaviors. The pre- and post-intervention social cognition and social interaction of ADHD children were assessed using a SSRS-C questionnaire (Social Skills Rating System—Child Form) and a controlled chat room, which allowed for observing how children interact in a virtual environment. Results: Children showed significant improvements in social competencies, such as identifying social cues, generating appropriate responses, and reducing hostile responses, with large effect sizes, following the social skills intervention. Comparing the two parent training programs, the Parent Workshop program demonstrated significant improvements in social cue detection and conversation memory, with more children achieving reliable changes in these variables than in the Parenting School program. Conclusions: Finally, the reliable change indices for children showed that the Parent Workshop demonstrated improvements in more than half of the subjects across all analyzed variables. Study limitations, implications for research and practice are discussed.

The effectiveness of a novel parental training program in reducing problematic internet use of adolescents.

Problematic internet use and unsafe internet use are the two main potential negative consequences of children's online activities. Parents play a vital role in mitigating these consequences and creating a safe digital environment. Parental Vigilant Care (PVC) is a systematic approach that integrates active and restrictive mediation practices, allowing parents to regulate their involvement according to the alarm signs they detect. This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to assess the efficacy of the PVC parent training program. Families were randomly assigned to either the three-session PVC group (n = 92) or the control group (n = 65). Measures from parents and children (77% male; 12-16 years old) were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and an 8-week follow-up. In addition to self-report questionnaires, children's online activities (time and content) on smartphones were monitored. Compared to the control group, parents in the PVC group reported a lower sense of helplessness, fewer conflicts, improved child functioning, a better family climate, and greater knowledge of their children's online activities. Additionally, children demonstrated lower scores for problematic and unsafe internet use. A gradual reduction in children's time online and use of unsafe sites was observed during the intervention following the PVC training. Guided by the PVC model, parents increased their protective presence in their children's digital world, thereby reducing online risks for their children. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Parent training programs for immigrant families in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Parent training programs for immigrant families in Europe: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Pendampingan Orang Tua dalam Membangun Lingkungan Belajar yang Kondusif

The important role of parental attention in motivating children to learn, by highlighting its significant impact on children's academic, psychological, and social development. Through consistent and in-depth attention, parents can not only help children overcome learning challenges, but also create an environment that supports the growth of children's confidence and motivation. The study identified two main types of motivation that are influenced by parental attention: intrinsic motivation, which is driven by the child's internal curiosity and satisfaction, and extrinsic motivation, which is influenced by external appreciation and recognition. In addition, emotional support from parents is essential for boosting children's self-confidence as well as helping them manage anxiety about failure, which often hinders their learning efforts. Consistency of parental attention also plays an important role in creating a stable and safe environment, which allows children to focus on their learning. The active involvement of parents in setting academic goals further strengthens the focus and motivation of children. Psychological theories such as Bandura's Social Learning Theory, Basic Needs Theory by Deci and Ryan, and Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory provide a deeper understanding of how parental attention affects not only academic performance, but also a child's emotional and psychological development. The results of this activity concluded that parental attention given lovingly and consistently is very important to motivate children to learn and support their overall development. The resulting recommendations include the need for training programs for parents in providing effective attention and the importance of collaboration between parents, schools, and communities in creating a supportive educational environment.

One is Good, but are Two Really Better? Outcomes for Dual versus Individual Attendees in a Behavioral Parent-Training Program for Caregivers of Young Children

ABSTRACT Background The Helping Our Toddlers, Developing Our Children’s Skills (HOT DOCS) BPMT program utilizes positive behavior support principles to help caregivers of children birth-5 years address early childhood disruptive behaviors and common developmental challenges experienced by many young children. Objective The present study examined whether there were differences in child outcomes, attendance rates, homework completion rates, levels of caregiver stress, and treatment satisfaction for individual versus dual caregiver participation in the HOT DOCS BPMT. Method Using a quasi-experimental design, caregivers of children ages 0–5 years were assigned to two non-equivalent groups: individual attendee (n = 141) and dual attendee (n = 123). Independent samples t-tests were utilized to compare means between individual and dual attendee groups for number of sessions attended and homework completion. Paired samples t-tests were calculated to compare means between individual and dual attendee groups on HOT DOCS program outcomes, including child behavior, parenting stress, and treatment satisfaction. Results There were no significant differences in outcomes between individual and dual attendee groups. Child behavior outcomes, parenting stress, treatment satisfaction, attendance, and homework completion were similar across both groups. Conclusions Individual caregiver engagement in the HOT DOCS BPMT program might be sufficiently potent to result in desirable outcomes. Future directions should include examining family structure and treatment modality on BPMT outcomes, maintenance of intervention gains, and perceived child behavior outcomes of BPMT non-attending caregivers.

Web-Based Parent Training With Telephone Coaching Aimed at Treating Child Disruptive Behaviors in a Clinical Setting During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Single-Group Study With 2-Year Follow-Up.

There is a lack of studies examining the long-term outcomes of web-based parent training programs implemented in clinical settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim is to study 2-year outcomes of families with 3- to 8-year-old children referred from family counseling centers to the Finnish Strongest Families Smart Website (SFSW), which provides digital parent training with telephone coaching aimed at treating child disruptive behaviors. Counseling centers in Helsinki identified fifty 3- to 8-year-old children with high levels of disruptive behavioral problems. Child psychopathology and functioning as well as parenting styles and parental mental health were collected from parents at baseline; posttreatment; and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups. The SFSW program had positive long-term changes in child psychopathology and parenting skills. Improvements in child psychopathology, including Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire total score (Cohen d=0.47; P<.001), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire conduct scores (Cohen d=0.65; P<.001), and Affective Reactivity Index irritability scores (Cohen d=0.52; P<.001), were maintained until the 24-month follow-up. Similarly, changes in parenting skills measured with the Parenting Scale, including overreactivity (Cohen d=0.41; P=.001) and laxness (Cohen d=0.26; P=.02), were maintained until the 24-month follow-up. However, parental hostility changes were not maintained at long-term follow-up (Cohen d=-0.04; P=.70). The study shows that the SFSW parent training program can yield significant long-term benefits. Findings indicate that the benefits of the treatment may vary between different parenting styles, which is important to consider when developing more personalized parenting interventions.

Identifying Active Ingredients that Cause Change in Digital Parent Training Programs for Child Behavior Problems: A Qualitative Exploration.

Digital parent training programs (DPTs) aimed at treating child behavior problems have shown efficacy in a number of trials, but less is known about the active ingredients parents find helpful while using DPTs. We analyzed data from users of self-guided DPTs within a randomized controlled trial setting: a standard program (DPT-STD) and an enhanced program (DPT-TP). Thematic analysis of interviews (n = 16) reveals that users of both programs endorsed the "content", "content presentation", "accessibility", and "therapeutic context" as beneficial. However, only DPT-TP users identified the "therapeutic persuasiveness" as helpful, attributing this to features embedded exclusively in the enhanced program, including call-to-action reminders and assessment-based feedback. Findings were reinforced by the analysis of responses to open-ended questions from a larger sample of users (n = 31 DPT-STD users and n = 34 DPT-TP users). These findings underscore the importance of utilizing features that help parents make positive changes in their home.

The effect of parental training programs on enhancing parental self-efficacy and its impact on couple satisfaction and relationship satisfaction

The effect of parental training programs on enhancing parental self-efficacy and its impact on couple satisfaction and relationship satisfaction

SHADOWS OF BIRTH ORDER: AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENT, PERCEIVED PARENTAL ATTITUDES, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Aim: In personality development temperamental traits, along with parental attitudes and birth order play a crucial role. These factors—temperamental traits, birth order, perceived parental attitudes—can influence substance use and its continuation. This study aims to explore the relationship between Adler's birth order theory, temperamental traits and perceived parental attitudes in the context of substance use disorders (SUDs). Material and method: The study included 37 SUD patients from XXX Hospital's Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center and 37 siblings without substance use. Participants temperamental traits and parental attitudes were assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and the Short Form of the Perceived Parental Attitudes Scale-Child Form (s-EMBU). Independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Spearman correlation coefficient, and binary logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis. Results: Individuals with SUD had significantly higher depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments than their siblings (p &lt; 0.05), and these traits were linked to perceived rejecting parental attitudes. Birth order analysis showed higher cyclothymic temperament in the first and last children. However, contrary to our hypotheses, no relationship was observed between birth order and perceived parental attitudes in any groups. According to regression analysis, individuals who were last-born had a 5.34 times higher likelihood of developing SUD compared to others. Conclusion: Assessing challenges based on birth order can aid in providing effective addiction treatment services. Our study found a link between perceived parental attitudes and temperamental traits, but not with birth order. This suggests temperamental traits may moderate the effect of birth order on perceived parental attitudes. Given the strong link between affective temperamental traits and rejecting parental attitudes, we recommend implementing behavioral parent training programs to reduce parental anger and hostility.

Exploring core competencies for language facilitation in parent training programs in AAC

The relationship between children and their caregivers is essential for the development of social, emotional, cognitive, and linguistic skills. This is especially critical for children with complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), as parents play a crucial role in supporting AAC integration within the home. However, communicating with a child who uses AAC does not come naturally and requires the learning of several specific skills. Various training programs have shown that, with appropriate training, parents and caregivers can develop the skills necessary to become effective communication partners and support the use of AAC at home. This paper analyzes the overlap between existing parent training programs in AAC to identify the core competencies essential for parents and caregivers to become effective communication partners. By extracting these fundamental skills, this paper aims to guide practitioners in the design of effective parent training sessions. Key strategies include responsivity, environmental arrangements, wait time, aided modeling, prompting, and appropriate feedback.

Understanding caregivers' needs: supporting families of autistic children

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses significant emotional, financial, and social challenges to caregivers. This paper examines the experiences of caregivers, highlighting their increased stress, burnout, and mental health concerns. The importance of accessible information resources, respite care services, emotional support networks, and financial assistance programs is emphasized. Effective strategies for supporting caregivers include educating them about ASD symptoms, treatments, and therapies, teaching coping mechanisms for managing challenging behaviors, and promoting collaboration between healthcare providers and caregivers. Policy implications are discussed, including advocating for legislative modifications that prioritize caregiver needs, promoting inclusionary practices within educational systems, and increasing funding for early intervention programs and caregiver support services. The implementation of parent training programs, collaborative relationships between educators and caregivers, and professional development opportunities for educators are also recommended. This study aims to inform policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educators about the critical role of caregiver support in improving outcomes for children with ASD. By addressing caregiver needs and providing comprehensive support, we can enhance the well-being of both caregivers and children with ASD.

Mobile App-Assisted Parent Training Intervention for Behavioral Problems in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

In children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), problem behaviors play a dysfunctional role, causing as much difficulty with daily living and adjustment as the core symptoms. If such behaviors are not effectively addressed, they can result in physical, economic, and psychological issues not only for the individual but also for family members. We aimed to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a mobile app-assisted parent training program for reducing problem behaviors in children with ASD. This open-label, single-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted among parents of children with ASD aged 36-84 months. Participants were recruited from the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University Hospital. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) by a blinded researcher. Randomization was performed using a stratified block randomization (with a block size of 4). Parents in the intervention group completed the mobile app-assisted parent training program at home over a 12-week period. They continued to receive their usual nondrug treatment in addition to the mobile app-assisted parent training program. The control group continued to receive their usual nonpharmaceutical treatment for 12 weeks without receiving the parent training program intervention. The primary outcome measure was the median change in the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (K-CBCL) scores from before to after the intervention. Lower scores on the K-CBCL indicated a decrease in overall problem behavior. Between November 9, 2022, and December 8, 2022, 64 participants were enrolled. Overall, 42 children (intervention group median age: 49, IQR 41-52.5 months; control group median age: 49, IQR 42-58 months) of the participants joined the program. The intervention group included 20 (48%) participants and the control group included 22 (52%) participants. In the intervention group, the K-CBCL total scores showed a decrease after the intervention, with a median difference of -0.5 (95% CI -4.5 to 3). Pervasive developmental disorder scores also showed a decrease, with a median difference of -2.1 (95% CI -8.5 to 2.5). However, there was no significant difference in Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness scores after the intervention for both the control and intervention groups. Scores on the Korean version of the Social Communication Questionnaire showed a further decrease after the intervention in the intervention group (median difference -2, 95% CI -4 to 1). Caregivers' stress evaluated using the Korean Parenting Stress Index Fourth Edition-Short Form did not show any significant differences between the control and intervention groups. There were no adverse events related to study participation. The findings demonstrated the feasibility of using mobile devices for evidence-based parent training to reduce problem behaviors in children with ASD. Mobile devices' accessibility and flexibility may provide a viable alternative for offering early intervention for problem behaviors in children with ASD. CRIS KCT0007841; https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?&seq=23112.

Are there unique facets of therapeutic alliance for users of digital mental health interventions? An examination with the eHealth Therapeutic Alliance Inventory

Therapeutic alliance (TA) is a well-established predictor of clinical outcomes in traditional psychotherapy. However, its association with outcomes in eHealth interventions has been inconsistent, which might be due to the absence of measurements specifically designed to capture TA in eHealth settings. The eHealth Therapeutic Alliance Inventory (ETAI) incorporates conventional as well as unique eHealth TA subscales, enabling to examine the contribution of new facets of TA beyond traditional concepts. This study investigates the predictive contribution of eHealth TA subscales compared to conventional TA subscales on clinical outcomes and evaluates the concurrent criterion validity of the ETAI. The study was conducted within the framework of a randomized controlled trial involving a 10-week digital parent training program aimed at addressing child disruptive behaviors. Parents were randomly assigned to either an enhanced-quality or a standard-quality program. Parents from 68 families completed the ETAI at five weeks' post-program initiation and at the post-intervention phase. The primary outcome was the improvement in child behavior, measured by the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Positive Pearson correlations were found between all ETAI subscales covering unique eHealth TA aspects, measured at the 5-week time-point, and improvement in child behavior at post-intervention (rs ≥ 0.23, ps < 0.03). The conventional TA subscale showed no significant Pearson correlation with improvement in child behavior. When examining the unique contributions of ETAI-subscales to explain the improvement in child behavior, only ETAI-Perceived Emotional Investment subscale was found to have a unique contribution (β = 0.29, p = 0.019). In addition, scores on most ETAI subscales were significantly higher among parents using the enhanced-quality program compared with the standard program (Cohen's ds > 0.48), reinforcing ETAI's criterion validity. The development of TA scales that incorporates unique eHealth TA subscales show initial promise in predicting outcomes. Further research is needed to better understand how different factors of eHealth TA relate to clinical outcomes across diverse clinical targets and programs.

Cultural Adaptation of RUBI Intervention with Korean Families(K-RUBI): A Mixed Method Study.

Challenging behaviors of young autistic children remain a major parenting challenge for many of their family members, including caregivers. Caregivers from underrepresented cultural or linguistic backgrounds may experience exacerbated difficulties related to challenging behaviors due to limited access to culturally sustaining and responsive interventions. Evidence-based behavior parent training programs, such as RUBI, are highly effective in increasing caregivers' capacity in preventing and responding to these behaviors in naturalistic settings using behavior analytic principles. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of the culturally adapted RUBI program with underserved families. We conduct a convergent mixed-methods study using a pilot randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group and focus group interviews with 31 Korean families of young children with or suspected of autism. The Korean RUBI underwent rigorous cultural adaptation using the Cultural Adaptation Checklist, including the use of multiple community advisory boards to inform cultural adaptation. Both quantitative and qualitative findings revealed significant improvements in parents' confidence and knowledge in behavioral principles and decrease in severity of challenging behaviors, which suggest clinical utility of RUBI in an underrepresented, low-resourced community. A culturally adapted intervention for a different population can be perceived as a newly constructed intervention. This study provides insight on the systematic process of cultural adaptation of an established autism intervention and effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of RUBI.

Telehealth pivotal response treatment parent training: A pilot study

ABSTRACT The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility, benefits, and acceptability of a telehealth Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) parent training program. Autistic children (N = 21; 2–6 years) with language delay and their parents participated in the 12-week program. Parent-report measures and parent–child home videos were used to assess changes in parent PRT treatment adherence and child language. Changes in child affect were used to assess intervention acceptability. At the end of the program, treatment adherence improved, and children made more intelligible utterances. Child communication skills as measured by parent-report on several standardized questionnaires also improved. This study demonstrates the benefits of telehealth parent training for improving child language and parent PRT implementation. Our findings also provide preliminary evidence of PRT acceptability. Randomized controlled trials are an important next step to evaluate the impact of telehealth parent training as a tool for overcoming barriers to accessing intervention.

The healthy habits questionnaire (HHQ): Validation of a measure designed to assess problematic influential behaviours amongst families of children living with obesity or a risk of developing obesity.

The 48-item Healthy Habits Questionnaire (HHQ-48) was developed to (1) monitor positive changes in family lifestyles following engagement in the Parents Plus Healthy Families (PP-HF) parent training programme and (2) be utilised as a standalone measure in clinical settings to identify and track problematic influential behaviours amongst families of children in weight-management services. This study aimed to develop and validate a brief version of the HHQ-48. The scale was administered to a cross-sectional community sample (n = 480), and on two occasions to a control sample (n = 50) and an experimental sample (n = 40) from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the PP-HF programme to assess test-retest reliability and sensitivity to change respectively. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed that a 23-item, 4-factor version of the HHQ (i.e., the HHQ-23) best fit the data. The scale and factor subscales had good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. They also had good concurrent and construct validity shown by significant correlations with another scale that assessed lifestyle issues, and scales that assessed parenting satisfaction, family functioning, and children's strengths and difficulties. The HHQ-23 was sensitive to change following parents completing the PP-HF programme. The HHQ-23 may, therefore, be used to monitor positive changes in family lifestyles following engagement in the PP-HF parent training programme. The HHQ-23 also shows promising potential as a standalone screening measure or as part of a larger battery of screening assessments in paediatric weight-management services.

Parent Training for Disruptive Behaviors in Referred Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether face-to-face and therapist-assisted online (i.e., blended) behavioral parent training are effective on reducing disruptive behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in routine mental health care. Ninety-seven children with ASD (4-13years; 76 boys) were randomized to face-to-face parent training, blended parent training, or a waitlist control condition. We assessed treatment effects on parent-rated child noncompliance (primary outcome) and irritability (secondary outcome). This involved comparing both formats separately to the control condition using linear regression models. Child behaviors at 6months follow-up were also examined. Children in the face-to-face parent training condition improved significantly more on noncompliance and irritability than children in the waitlist condition and improvements sustained to 6months follow-up. Children in the blended condition did not improve more than children in the waitlist condition and attrition was high. Our results extend findings from efficacy studies to routine mental health care and advocate the use of face-to-face parent training for disruptive behaviors in children with ASD. More research into blended parent training programs for children with ASD and disruptive behaviors in routine mental health care should be conducted to draw more definite conclusions about the value of blended parent training for these children. Trial registration number NL4712; date of registration 22-10-2014.

Cumulative risk predicting differential effectiveness of the incredible years parent-training

The evidence on whether socioeconomic status moderates the effectiveness of parent-training programs for disruptive child behaviors is inconclusive. These varied results may stem from differences in the programs or the studies themselves. We applied an equivalence test paradigm to test the hypothesis of equal benefit from the Incredible Years Parent-Training (IYPT) across family risk on disruptive child behaviors. During the Danish roll-out of the IYPT, 1203 families were recruited across 20 different municipalities. The isolated and cumulative effect of five markers of low socioeconomic status, specifically single parent household, parental unemployment, low family income, low parental educational level, and teen parenthood, were analyzed as predictors of pre-to-post treatment response. Results showed equal benefit among families experiencing from zero to four accumulated socioeconomic risks (99 % of our sample). Our findings suggest that the IYPT brings equal benefit across socioeconomic backgrounds and risk levels in Danish community settings.

Telehealth general case parent training for children at risk for autism.

Parent-mediated interventions for infants and young children with an increased likelihood of autism may help ameliorate developmental concerns; however, generalization of parents' teaching strategies to novel child target skills has not been consistently demonstrated. This study expanded our parent training program, Parent Intervention for Children at-Risk for Autism (PICARA), by incorporating telehealth general case training (PICARA-TGCT) to promote generalization of teaching skills. Five parent-child dyads participated. Child target skills were chosen from the categories of imitation, receptive language, and expressive language. A concurrent multiple-baseline-across-participants design was used to evaluate the effect of training across two cohorts of parent-child dyads. Dependent variables included the percentage of correct parent teaching skills and the percentage of child correct responses. Parent teaching skills increased across all participants for both trained and untrained child target skills, as did child skills. This study provides support for PICARA-TGCT as an efficacious and efficient early intervention model.