Parent Training Sessions Research Articles

A Novel Intervention for Child Peer Relationship Difficulties: The Secret Agent Society

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Secret Agent Society (SAS) small group program in improving children’s social skills, social competence and anxiety. Participants included 27 children aged seven to 12 years (20 boys, seven girls) whose parents identified them as experiencing peer relationship difficulties or social anxiety. SAS featured a computer game and other spy-themed activities that children played during nine weekly 90 minute club meetings that were facilitated by University psychology clinic interns. The program also included weekly parent group training sessions, home missions (skills practice tasks) and weekly tip sheets that informed school staff about the skills that children were learning, and how they could support them in applying these skills in the classroom and playground. Program outcomes were evaluated using a range of parent- and child-report measures administered at pre-intervention, post-intervention and at six-week follow-up. Results suggested that SAS led to significant improvements in children’s social skills as reported by parents (Fs (2, 25) ≥ 21.91, ps < 0.0001, partial ɳ2s ≥ 0.46), children’s social competence as reported by parents (F(2, 25) = 17.12, p < 0.001, partial ɳ2 = 0.58), children’s overall anxiety as reported by parents (F(2, 25) = 8.57, p = 0.001, partial ɳ2 = 0.41), and children’s social anxiety as reported by themselves (F(2, 25) = 7.14, p = 0.004, partial ɳ2 = 0.36). All significant treatment effects were maintained at six-week follow-up. These findings suggest that the program holds promise as a community-based resilience program for children, although larger scale controlled trials of the intervention are needed.

Impacts of a shared book-reading intervention for Italian-speaking children with developmental language disorder.

The regular practice of shared book reading (SBR) at home may play a key role in fostering the linguistic development of children with developmental language disorder (DLD). However, more evidence is needed of the benefits of home-based SBR interventions on the parents' conversational strategies and on the communicative and linguistic production of children with DLD. To examine the impacts of a parent-based SBR intervention on the parent's use of conversational strategies, and on the engagement, conversational participation and linguistic production of Italian-speaking children with DLD. The mothers trained in the use of SBR strategies were expected to increase their use of these strategies. The children were expected to show gains in their level of engagement and conversational participation during SBR; in turn, moderate increments of the indices of language production were expected. Thirty-two preschool children with DLD participated in the study; all were receiving speech language therapy. Using a non-randomized pre-post-test control trial, 20 mother-child dyads implemented an 8-week SBR programme (the SBR intervention group), while 12dyads acted as a comparison group. Based on the 'dialogic reading' method, eight verbal and non-verbal SBR strategies were employed during individual and small-group parent training sessions. Speech-language therapists were involved in the individual parent training sessions to provide suggestions focused on the specific characteristics of each mother-child dyad. Measures of parents' intervention strategies, children's engagement, conversational participation and oral language were included. At post-test, mothers in the SBR intervention group used three of the eight SBR strategies-Shared Book Handling, Captivating Talking, and Utterances with a familiar topic-significantly more than the comparison group. Children whose mothers implemented the intervention showed significant gains in terms of time spent in engagement and amount of verbal production during shared reading. No effects were found for the children's communicative initiatives and answers, or for indices of language complexity and diversity. The present parent-based SBR intervention for Italian-speaking preschoolers with DLD showed effects, albeit modest, on both maternal and child communicative behaviours. The results suggest that extralinguistic strategies may be implemented successfully by parents and may be effective in enhancing children's engagement and language production in the short term. Further investigations are needed that provide a longer intervention period and examine the joint impact of therapist- and parent-based intervention for children with DLD.

Communication interventions for autism spectrum disorder in minimally verbal children.

Communication interventions for autism spectrum disorder in minimally verbal children.

Ten Practical Strategies Coaches Can Use to Promote Nutrition to Their Athletes

Coaches are often focused on the physical training and the x's and o's associated with their sport, but there are clear benefits associated with teaching and encouraging proper nutrition and hydration for optimal performance. Certainly, the benefits can be seen, but how can coaches become more educated in nutrition and pass on this information to their athletes and parents? This article highlights 10 practical strategies coaches can use to promote nutrition and suggests ways in which coaches can incorporate nutritional information into team and parent meetings, training and competition education sessions, and travel itineraries. Further, strategies to educate on daily nutritional choices are addressed. A goal of coaches is to facilitate an environment where their athletes can achieve optimal performance on a consistent basis. Therefore, this article provides both essential information and practical strategies to help achieve this goal by improving coaches' knowledge about nutrition.

Effects of a Center-Based Parent Training Package on Parents’ Accuracy of Generalized Program Implementations at Home

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a parent training package on parents’ accuracy of program implementations and their children’s goal achievements on parent-implemented programs at home. Parents also completed a quiz with questions about three-contingencies before and after the training. Three mother-child dyads participated in this study. All three children were 4-year-old boys with developmental delays. We employed a multiple baseline across three parent-child dyads as the primary design combined with a pretest and posttest. The individual parent training sessions consisted of office meetings and in-vivo classroom coaching sessions on program implementations. Each parent was trained individually to mastery criteria on program implementations using the Teacher Performance Rate Accuracy Scale (TPRA). After completing the parent training package, all parents acquired program implementations skills, and their program implementation skills were generalized to teach new behaviors at home with a high level of fidelity. Their quiz scores on three-term contingencies also increased to a relatively high level.

Effects of a parent-implemented Developmental Reciprocity Treatment Program for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Developmental approaches to autism treatment aim to establish strong interpersonal relationships through joint play. These approaches have emerging empirical support; however, there is a need for further research documenting the procedures and demonstrating their effectiveness. This pilot study evaluated changes in parent behavior and child autism symptoms following a 12-week Developmental Reciprocity Treatment parent-training program. A total of 22 children with autism spectrum disorder between 2 and 6 years (mean age = 44.6 months, standard deviation = 12.7) and a primary caregiver participated in 12 weekly sessions of Developmental Reciprocity Treatment parent training, covering topics including introduction to developmental approaches, supporting attention and motivation, sensory regulation and sensory-social routines, imitation/building nonverbal communication, functional language development, and turn taking. Results indicated improvement in aspects of parent empowerment and social quality of life. Improvement in core autism symptoms was observed on the Social Responsiveness Scale total score (F(1,19): 5.550, p = 0.029), MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories number of words produced out of 680 (F(1,18): 18.104, p = 0.000), and two subscales of the Repetitive Behavior Scale, Revised (compulsive, p = 0.046 and restricted, p = 0.025). No differences in sensory sensitivity were observed on the Short Sensory Profile. Findings from this pilot study indicate that Developmental Reciprocity Treatment shows promise and suggest the need for future controlled trials of this developmentally based intervention.

A 1.5-Year Follow-Up of Parent Training and Atomoxetine for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Noncompliant/Disruptive Behavior in Autism.

To examine status of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) 10 months after a 34-week clinical trial of atomoxetine (ATX) and parent training (PT). In a 2 × 2 design, 128 children with ASD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were randomly assigned ATX, PT+placebo, PT+ATX, or placebo alone. PT was weekly for 10 weeks, and then monthly. ATX/placebo was titrated over 6 weeks [≤1.8 mg/kg/d], and then maintained until week 10. Responders continued to week 34 or nonresponse. Placebo nonresponders had a 10-week ATX open trial; ATX nonresponders were treated clinically. All continued to week 34. With no further treatment from the study, all were invited to follow-up (FU) at 1.5 years postbaseline; 94 (73%) participated. Changes from Week 34 to FU and from baseline to FU were tested by one-way analysis of variance or chi-squared test. PT versus no PT was tested by chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test, Welch's t-test, Student's t-test, and Mann-Whitney's U test. For the whole sample, the primary outcomes (parent-rated ADHD on the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham [SNAP] scale and noncompliance on the Home Situations Questionnaire [HSQ]) deteriorated mildly from week 34 to FU, but were still substantially better than baseline (SNAP: t = 12.177, df = 93, p < 0.001; HSQ: t = 8.999, df = 93, p < 0.001). On the SNAP, 61% improved ≥30% from baseline (67% did at week 34); on noncompliance, 56% improved ≥30% from baseline (77% did at week 34). Outcomes with PT were not significantly better than without PT (SNAP p = 0.30; HSQ p = 0.27). Originally assigned treatment groups did not differ significantly. Only 34% still took ATX; 27% were taking stimulants; and 25% took no medication. The majority retained their 34-week end-of-study improvement 10 months later, even though most participants stopped ATX. For some children, ATX continuation may not be necessary for continued benefit or other drugs may be necessary. Cautious individual clinical experimentation may be justified. Twelve sessions of PT made little long-term difference. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: Atomoxetine, Placebo and Parent Management Training in Autism (Strattera) (NCT00844753).

Effects of Intensive Behavioral Treatment for Children With Varying Levels of Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits

The purpose of this study was to examine whether callous–unemotional (CU) traits moderated the effects of intensive behavior therapy in elementary school-age children with varying levels of conduct problems (CP). Both treatment response (magnitude of change between pre- and posttreatment) and treatment outcomes (likelihood of normalization from treatment) were examined. Participants were 67 children (n = 49 boys, Mage = 9.6 years) with varying levels of CP and CU who participated in an intensive 8-week summer treatment program (STP) in which behavior therapy was delivered to children in recreational and classroom settings and to parents via weekly parent training sessions. Effects of treatment were measured using parent and teacher ratings of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), callous behavior, and impairment. Results showed that CU moderated treatment effects for CD and callous behavior but not ODD or impairment. The moderating effects showed some evidence that participants with high CP and high CU before treatment had better treatment responses (larger change between pre- and posttreatment) but worse treatment outcomes (lower likelihood of normalization after treatment). These results suggest that intensive treatment, such as the STP, may be necessary but not sufficient for children with CP and CU traits.

Prevalence of ADHD and Mental Health Problems among Preschool Children in the Gaza Strip

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ADHD and mental health problems among preschool Palestinian children. Method: The sample consisted of 398 randomly selected preschool children with their mothers and teachers. Children were rated using SDQ and ADHD for parents and teachers. Results: The results showed that 28.4% of the children according to mothers displayed psychiatric morbidity. Among the four categories of mental health problems, 45.8% reported conduct, 14.2% reported emotional problems, 46% reported peer relationships problem, 33.8% reported hyperactivity, and 15.1% reported pro-social problems. Boys were more hyperactive than girls. According to mothers report, 31.3% of children met the DSM-IV criteria for inattentive type, 36.3% of children were hyperactive-impulsive, and 29% met criteria for combined type. The results showed boys had more attention, hyperactivity, and combined ADHD type than girls. According to teachers, 46.7% of the children were displayed psychiatric morbidity by their teachers. Among the four categories of mental health problems, 45.8% reported conduct, 11.6% reported emotional, 55.8% reported peer relationship problems, 15.3% reported hyperactivity, and 31.2%, reported prosaically behavior problem. According to teachers report, 28.8% of children met the DSM-IV criteria for inattentive type, 37.3% of children were hyperactive-impulsive, and 28.3% met criteria for combined type of ADHD. Clinical implications:From the above mentioned results, we recommended to conduct more training sessions for parents and teachers specified in one or two specific areas of interest such as behavioural problems and behavioural modification. Involving the fathers in such activities and inviting them to similar training sessions, continuous training inside the kindergarten in specific subjects such as overactivity, using drawing in helping children, play therapy, behavioral modification, and counseling, increase in non curriculum activities in the classes. Increase in number of trips, play sessions, drawing settings, supervision of the kindergarten teachers and regular visits to the kindergartens is required by the project officer and the center directors

Effect of educational intervention program for parents on adolescents'nutritional behaviors in Isfahan in 2016.

BACKGROUND:Family participation is an important element on nutritional education especially for students. Parents have a key role in instilling and understanding healthy eating habits, but yet the use of family participation strategies in the nutrition education was low. The aim of this study is determining the effect of parental educational intervention program for parents on adolescents’ nutritional behaviors in Isfahan, Iran in 2016.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This study was a kind of field trial that conducted on 63 girl teenagers from junior high schools of Isfahan in 2016 that were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. The data collection tool which was a researcher made questionnaire was completed in both groups before and 1 month after the intervention. The intervention included three training sessions for parents and giving educational compact disc and forwarding SMS. To analysis of data independent t-test and paired t-test were used.RESULTS:Paired t-test showed that in intervention group the average score of fruit (P = 0.03) and in control group the average score of vegetables (P < 0.05) were significant statistical difference, but in other aspects of nutritional behaviors was not a significant difference. Independent t-test showed that after intervention, mean scores nutritional behavior of adolescent girls in both groups had no significant differences.CONCLUSIONS:No significant difference was in the nutritional behaviors before and after the intervention. Hence, just educating the parents is not enough for achieving appropriate nutritional behaviors in the adolescents.

A Metacognitive Strategy for Reducing Disruptive Behavior in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: GoFAR Pilot

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are often characterized by disruptive behavior problems and there are few effective interventions available. GoFAR is a novel, 3-part intervention designed to improve self-regulation and adaptive living skills of children with FASD by improving metacognitive control of emotions and arousal. The intervention has 3 components: (i) GoFAR: a "serious game" designed to teach a metacognitive control strategy in a computer game environment; (ii) parent training on child behavioral regulation; and (iii) Behavior Analog Therapy (BAT) sessions, a practical application of the metacognitive learning methodology by parent and child in the context of learning adaptive skills. The learning strategy (FAR) teaches the child to Focus and make a plan, Act out the plan, and Reflect back on the plan. Thirty families were randomized to 3 groups: (i) GoFAR (n = 10); (ii) FACELAND (n = 10); or (iii) CONTROL (n = 10). The 2 intervention groups, GoFAR and FACELAND, used computer games to instruct children. Both groups also received 5 sessions of parent training followed by 5 sessions of joint parent/child therapy (BAT). Assessment of disruptive behavior, including frequency of temper tantrums, frustration tolerance, impulsivity, destructiveness, aggression, and maintaining attention were carried out before enrollment at Mid-Treatment, when game play and parent training were completed, and finally, after completing the BAT sessions. Parental report of disruptive behavior overall was significantly reduced in the GoFAR group after the first components, game play and parent training, and after the BAT sessions in the FACELAND group with no changes in the CONTROL group over time. The GoFAR(®) game was well received by children and effective in teaching the required skills. Mastering the FAR metacognitive strategy was associated with a reduction in disruptive behaviors in children with FASD suggesting that effective interventions can improve outcomes for this high-risk group.

Atomoxetine, Parent Training, and Their Combination in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Impairments associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and noncompliance are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, ADHD response to stimulants is well below rates in typically developing children, with frequent side effects. Group studies of treatments for noncompliance are rare in ASD. We examined individual and combined-effectiveness of atomoxetine (ATX) and parent training (PT) for ADHD symptoms and noncompliance. In a 3-site, 10-week, double-blind, 2 × 2 trial of ATX and PT, 128 children (ages 5-14 years) with ASD and ADHD symptoms were randomized to ATX, ATX+PT, placebo+PT, or placebo. ATX was adjusted to optimal dose (capped at 1.8 mg/kg/day) over 6 weeks and maintained for 4 additional weeks. Nine PT sessions were provided. Primary outcome measures were the parent-rated DSM ADHD symptoms on the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham (SNAP) scale and Home Situations Questionnaire (HSQ). On the SNAP, ATX, ATX+PT and placebo+PT were each superior to placebo (effect sizes 0.57-0.98; p values of .0005, .0004, and .025, respectively). For noncompliance, ATX and ATX+PT were superior to placebo (effect sizes 0.47-0.64; p values .03 and .0028, respectively). ATX was associated with decreased appetite but was otherwise well tolerated. Both ATX and PT resulted in significant improvement on ADHD symptoms, whereas ATX (both alone and combined with PT) was associated with significant decreases on measures of noncompliance. ATX appears to have a better side effects profile than psychostimulants in the population with ASD. Atomoxetine, Placebo and Parent Management Training in Autism; http://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT00844753.

Efficacy of a Universal Parent Training Program (HOPE-20)

Objective: This study examined the efficacy of Hands-On Parent Empowerment-20 (HOPE-20) program. Methods: Eligible participants were parents residing in Hong Kong with target children aged 2 years attending nursery schools. Cluster randomized control trial was adopted, with 10 schools (110 participants) assigned to intervention group and 8 schools (63 participants) to control group using random number table, without blinding of participants. Intervention group attended 20 parent training sessions based on social learning theory. Children were individually assessed on preschool concepts and language skills. Parents completed child behavior and parental stress questionnaires. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis (173 participants and 18 schools) indicated improvement in primary outcomes: child preschool concepts ( d = 0.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.38, 1.01]) and child behavior problems ( d = 0.67, 95% CI: [0.35, 0.99]), together with language skills ( d = 0.98, 95% CI: [0.65, 1.30]), and parental stress ( d = 0.71, 95% CI: [0.39, 1.02]). Conclusions: The results suggested that HOPE-20 program was beneficial to Chinese families.

Healthy Being – Improving Nutrition Practices Among Children and Teens Through Art and Games

Healthy Being (HB) focuses on improving the nutritional status of 4,310 children (6-12 years) through art and games. Approximately 39,000 indirect beneficiaries -parents, teachers and local stakeholders- from two communities in Chimaltenango will be reached and trained, in partnership with local theater groups, the Ministry of Education, and Municipal Authorities, supported by the FEMSA Foundation. Cardenas Silva, 2006 and J. Barojas, 1999, have advocated using games and art as attractive teaching resources that stimulate participation, awareness, self -knowledge and learning. Guatemala has the highest prevalence of chronic child malnutrition among elementary school children and adolescents in Latin America, ranking third worldwide. The province of Chimaltenango has been classified as a very high risk region with 53.9% chronic malnutrition. HB implements nutrition improvement through an innovative approach based on theatre, song, poetry and drawing. HB staff has scheduled six monthly training sessions for parents and teachers in school grounds during regular hours. Additionally, one hundred HB trained local teens will deliver culturally appropriate food and nutrition security messages through theatre, creative games and artistic competitions to create awareness of positive nutritional practices increasing water, animal source, fruits and vegetable consumption. The messages were identified in the baseline and formative research. Sustainability and scale up will be achieved through partnerships with schools and influential community stakeholders. Teachers and parents are supporting the project. The project baseline revealed that although children, teens and parents have basic nutrition knowledge, their daily meals lack vegetables, fruit, protein and clean water.

A Systematic Review of Fidelity of Implementation in Parent-Mediated Early Communication Intervention

This article examined the reporting of four elements of fidelity of implementation (FOI) in parent-mediated early communication treatment studies. Thirty-five studies were reviewed to extract information regarding reporting of dosage, adherence, quality, and participant responsiveness for both practitioners and parents involved in parent-delivered communication treatment for children birth to 6 years of age. Results indicate relatively low reporting practices across the four elements of FOI for both practitioners and parents. Most studies (71%) reported dosage at the practitioner level (e.g., number and length of parent-training sessions), while few studies (14%) reported dosage at the parent level (i.e., amount of intervention implemented by parents outside of treatment sessions). Results also found 60% of studies reported adherence for parent implementation, but only 34% of studies reported adherence for practitioners. Implications for low reporting in the research literature, as well as recommendations for future reporting and research on FOI, are provided.

Therapeutic intervention and parenting style of abusive parents.

Background:Victims of abuse comprise a significant proportion of all child psychiatric admissions, with an estimated 30% incidence of lifetime of physical and sexual abuse among child and adolescent outpatients, and as high as 55% among psychiatric inpatients.Objectives:The present study was conducted to examine the effects of therapeutic intervention and parent management training on parenting skill of abusive parents.Patients and Methods:The study population consisted of all children who were referred to Child Psychiatric and Pediatric Departments of Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran, IR Iran diagnosed with child abuse. Children and their families were visited by a psychiatrist for psychiatric problems. Later, the necessary interventions were taken for the children. To study the effect of intervention, parents completed ‘Being a Parent and Parenting Scale’ before intervention, and then again, in the third and sixth months following the intervention. The interventions included 8 weekly parent management training sessions for all of the involved parents and additional pharmacologic and psychological interventions according to the subjects’ needs.Results:Participants included 73 children with the mean age of 6.9 ± 4.3 year, while the mean age of parents was 31.76 ± 6.52 year for the mothers and 38.07 ± 8.45 year for the fathers. General anxiety disorder (30.1%) and depression (27.4%) were the most common psychiatric disorders among mothers. In parenting scale, there were significant differences between the zero and third month in all subscales (P = 0.008), but there was no significant difference in verbosity and overreactivity after 6 months. Laxness showed significant changes over the period (P = 0.03). In viewing the ‘Being a Parent Scale’, there was no significant difference in satisfaction and competency subscales before and after the intervention.Conclusions:Therapeutic intervention and parent management training improves parenting skill of abusive parents, and this might lead to fewer incidents of abuse or neglect.

Parent Training and Behavior Therapy on Behaviors of Children With Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral condition characterized by poor attention, hyperactivity and misbehavior. Parent training and behavioral therapy are psychosocial techniques aimed at training parents to manage and change their children’s behavior. Objectives: This study examined the impact of parent training and behavioral therapy to control ADHD children. Patients and Methods: This research was a pretest-posttest study, conducted on 61 ADHD children selected randomly among referrals to psychological clinic (Hamdelan) Zahedan, Iran in 2010. Eight sessions of parent training based on the Barkley method and eight sessions of behavioral therapy were held for children's parents. The measurement tool was a researcher made questionnaires, consisting of diagnostic symptoms and features of ADHD based on DSM IV (diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders). Data were analyzed using t-test and SPSS software version 17. Results: Nine girls (14.8%) and 52 boys (85%), 6 - 14 years old, participated in the study. Mean scores showed that the symptoms reduced after intervention significantly (P < 0.01). The results indicated that parent training and behavioral therapy were effective in controlling ADHD children's behaviors. Conclusions: The results of the present study can greatly benefit ADHD children since behavioral training may have a greater impact, than just the medication therapy on their social life.

Effective Intervention Programming: Improving Maternal Adjustment Through Parent Education

This study assessed the secondary effects of a parent training intervention program on maternal adjustment, with a focus on understanding ways in which program efficacy differed for participants as a function of whether or not their children had behavior problems. Mothers (N=99) of toddlers (2-3years of age) were randomly assigned to receive one of three levels of intervention: (1) informational booklet (2) booklet + face-to-face parent training sessions, or (3) booklet + web-based parent training sessions. Findings indicated that all levels of intervention were associated with increases in maternal well-being for participants with typically developing children. Mothers of toddlers with behavior problems, however, did not benefit from receiving only the booklet but significantly benefitted from receiving either the face-to-face or web-based interventions. Findings are discussed in terms of efficient and efficacious program dissemination and the resulting implications for public policy.

Factors influencing parent satisfaction with preventive health services for the early detection of speech and language delay in preschool children

The aim of this study was to identify parent and child characteristics which could influence parent satisfaction with preventive health services designed to detect preschool children with speech and language (SL) delay. This study was conducted on 101 children aged 18 to 36 months who participated in an organized SL delay early detection program. Validated instruments were used to assess children’s and parents’ characteristics. Satisfaction was evaluated using the client satisfaction questionnaire for the three activities of the program: 1) a public information session about SL development, 2) parent training sessions for parents concerned by their child SL development, and 3) a child’s SL assessment. Multiple logistic regressions were used to identify all independent factors (p < 0.05) associated with satisfaction and to estimate the odds ratios (OR) for satisfaction. Economically disadvantaged parents were less prone to participate in the first two activities of the early detection program. Older parents were more satisfied with the public information session (OR = 1.33 for 1 year increment; p = 0.001). Distressed parents were less satisfied with both the parent training sessions (OR = 0.28; p = 0.009) and the SL assessment (OR = 0.43; p = 0.046). Parents whose child had health problems at birth were less satisfied with the public information session (OR = 0.14, p = 0.03) and the SL assessment (OR = 0.33, p = 0.036). There is a need to better adapt the delivery of preventive services for the early detection of SL delay, especially for disadvantaged and distressed parents and for those whose child had suffered from health problems at birth.

Enrollment and Attendance in a Parent Training Prevention Program for Conduct Problems

Low levels of enrollment and attendance in parent training programs present major problems for researchers and clinicians. The literature on enrollment and attendance in prevention programs is especially limited, and these constructs may be particularly difficult to address in this context. Further, most previous research has not made the distinction between enrollment and attendance. This study describes predictors of enrollment and attendance in a behavioral parent training program intended to prevent conduct problems in preschoolers. Information was gathered from 106 preschoolers, their parents, and their teachers. Parent socioeconomic status (SES), single parent status, ethnicity, child externalizing behavior, parent depressive symptoms, and parent social support were investigated as possible predictors of families' enrollment and attendance. Only 48% of the families that had already provided informed consent and completed demographic questionnaires actually enrolled in the parent training program; parents with lower incomes and lower levels of social support were less likely to enroll. In addition, African-American and Puerto Rican families were less likely to enroll than Caucasian families. The average attendance rate for enrolled parents was 61%; dual parents and parents with children evidencing externalizing behavior problems attended more parent training sessions. Parent depression was not associated with enrollment or attendance. Significant relationships were maintained when controlling for other predictors including SES and when accounting for center-level variance. In addition, three distinct patterns of attendance were observed, which may have practical implications related to retention strategies.