Self-administered videotape therapy for families with conduct-problem children: Comparison with two cost-effective treatments and a control group.

Parents of 114 conduct-problem children, aged 3–8 years, were randomly assigned to one of four groups: an individually administered videotape modeling treatment (IVM), a group discussion videotape modeling treatment (GDVM), a group discussion treatment (GD), and a waiting-list control group. Compared with the control group, all three treatment groups of mothers reported significantly fewer child behavior problems, more prosocial behaviors, and less spanking. Fathers in the GDVM and IVM conditions and teachers of children whose parents were in the GDVM and GD conditions also reported significant reductions in behavior problems compared with control subjects. Home visit data indicated that all treatment groups of mothers, fathers, and children exhibited significant behavioral changes. There were relatively few differences between treatment groups on most outcome measures, although the differences found consistently favored the GDVM treatment. However, cost effectiveness was the major advantage of the IVM treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treating children with early-onset conduct problems: A comparison of child and parent training interventions.

Families of 97 children with early-onset conduct problems, 4–8 yrs old, were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: a parent training treatment group (PT), a child training group (CT), a combined child and parent training group (CT?+?PT), or a waiting-list control group (CON). Posttreatment assessments indicated that all 3 conditions had resulted in significant improvements in comparison with controls. Comparisons of the 3 treatment conditions indicated that CT and CT?+?PT children showed significant improvements in problem solving as well as conflict management skills, as measured by observations of their interactions with a best friend; differences among treatments on these measures consistently favored the CT over the PT condition. As for parent and child behavior at home, PT and CT?+?PT parents and children had significantly more positive interactions, compared with CT parents and children. One-yr follow-up assessments indicated that all the significant changes noted immediately posttreatment had been maintained over time. Moreover, child conduct problems at home had lessened over time. Analyses of the clinical significance of the results suggested that the combined CT?+?PT condition produced the most significant improvements in child behavior at 1-yr follow-up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Problem solving in the treatment of childhood obesity.

This study randomized obese children from 67 families to groups that received a 6-month family-based behavioral weight-control program plus parent and child problem solving, child problem solving, or standard treatment with no additional problem solving. The standard group showed larger body mass index (BMI) decreases than the parent?+?child group through 2 years, with significant differences in the percentage of children who showed large BMI changes. Significant statistical and clinical improvements were observed over time in child behavior problems and parental distress. Parent problem solving increased in the parent?+?child condition relative to the other conditions, whereas child problem solving increased equally in all conditions. The bulk of evidence suggests that problem solving did not add to treatment effectiveness beyond the standard family-based treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting parent and child outcomes of a filial therapy program.

The present study investigated parent and child factors that predict outcome in a filial therapy program for parents (N = 27) and young children (ages 2–10). Higher levels of parent distress and poorer child regulation of emotion at pretest were predictive of greater reductions in child behavior problems; poorer parent regulation of emotion at pretest was predictive of greater increases in parent acceptance; and less parent satisfaction with social support from family and friends at pretest was predictive of greater increases in parent communication of acceptance in parent–child play. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal examination of the parent–child distress relationship in children with juvenile rheumatic disease.

Objective: To examine the longitudinal relationships between parent and child distress in a sample of children with juvenile rheumatic diseases (JRDs). Design: Cross-lagged panel correlation analysis tested the temporal precedence of parent distress versus child distress over a 1-year period. Participants: Thirty-seven children (ages 9–17 years; 22 girls) diagnosed with JRD and their parents completed self-report measures on 2 occasions (assessment interval M = 12 months). Primary Outcome Measures: Child Depression Inventory and Brief Symptom Inventory. Results: Significant cross-sectional parent–child distress associations were observed at both time points. Moreover, Time 1 parent distress predicted child distress at Time 2 after child-reported functional ability was controlled; Time 1 child distress was unrelated to Time 2 parent distress. Cross-lagged panel correlations demonstrated the temporal precedence of parent distress relative to child distress in the parent–child distress relationship. Conclusions: These preliminary findings underscore the importance of parent distress in parent–child transactional adjustment, and suggest a predominant role for parent distress in children's adjustment to JRDs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Marital discord and treatment outcome in behavioral treatment of child conduct disorders.

Research assessing the role of marital variables in the treatment of childhood conduct disorders is scarce. The aim of this study was (a) to assess the role of marital discord in the overall outcome of a program training parents in behavioral techniques (behavioral parent training) and (b) to assess the effects of an adjunctive treatment (partner support training [PST]) on outcome. The latter treatment focused on marital conflict, communication, and problem solving. Twenty-four families with a child diagnosed as oppositional or conduct disordered were assigned to either a marital-discord group (n?=?12) or a no-marital-discord group (n?=?12). Families within each group were then randomly assigned to either child management training (CMT) alone or CMT with PST. Measures of child deviance, parenting behavior, and marital satisfaction were collected at pre- and posttraining and at a 6-month follow-up. Results indicated a significant interaction between marital discord and treatment type on most measures at follow-up but not at posttraining. Although PST added little to the maintenance of change for the nondiscordant group, it produced significant gains over those who received CMT only for the discordant group. Further results highlighting the interaction of marital and treatment variables are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support and treatment outcome in behavioral family therapy for child conduct problems.

Assessed the role of social support in the outcome of child management training (CMT) for single parents of conduct problem children and assessed the impact of adjunctive ally support training (AST) on treatment outcome. 22 single parents with a child diagnosed as oppositional or conduct-disordered received CMT or CMT plus AST. Each group received the same 6-wk parent training program and the AST group received an extra social support intervention. Measures of parent behavior, child deviance, social support (SS), and parental depression were obtained at pre- and posttreatment and at 6-mo follow-up. Both groups improved, and changes maintained at follow-up. AST produced no extra gains. Responders from either group were more likely than nonresponders to report high levels of SS from friends. Results emphasize the importance of SS and the difficulty of incorporating changes in SS into treatment programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers: The influence of early family factors on distress in emerging adulthood.

This prospective study examines family predictors of distress among survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers during the transition to emerging adulthood. Children with cancer (n = 55), comparison peers (n = 60), and parents completed measures of distress, family environment, social support, and demographic characteristics during initial treatment, as well as follow-up measures of young adult distress and demographic characteristics soon after participants turned 18 years old. Severity of initial treatment and late effects were rated by healthcare providers for participants with cancer. For all participants, mother and father report of initial parent distress was associated with their report of young adult distress at follow-up. Young adult gender moderated this association. For survivors of childhood cancer, severity of initial treatment and late effects also moderated the association between parent and young adult distress. Improving parent distress may help reduce child distress in general. For survivors specifically, ameliorating the impact of initial treatment and long-term physical problems may be beneficial. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analysis of child and parent behavior during painful medical procedures.

Examined (1) the impact of demographic, medical, and psychological factors on overall child distress (CD) during an invasive medical procedure required for pediatric cancer treatment and (2) the relationship of individual parent behaviors to CD across phases of the procedure. 70 3–10 yr old pediatric cancer patients receiving outpatient venipuncture and their parents participated. Overall distress was greater in younger children who had fewer previous venipunctures and poorer venous access and whose parents rated them prior to the procedure as less likely to be cooperative. Providing explanations regarding the procedure was the parent behavior most clearly associated with CD. The impact of parent explanation depended on when the explanation was given and on the child's level of distress at the time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based parent involvement interventions with school-aged children.

This paper reviewed 24 studies of parent involvement for school-aged children conducted between 1980 and 2002 and evaluated them according to the criteria developed by the Task Force on Evidence-Based Interventions in School Psychology. The parent involvement component of all studies had parents helping children learn at home, with most targeting a change in academic performance, including reading skills, mathematics skills, spelling, and homework completion. Results yielded a wide range of treatment effectiveness. The strongest evidence for parent involvement was provided for programs that implemented parent tutoring in the home and targeted a single academic problem of the elementary school-aged child, primarily reading and mathematics skills. Despite promising evidence for the effectiveness of parent home tutoring, it was concluded that the evidence base for the effectiveness of parent involvement as an intervention for children's academic problems is inconclusive due to methodological weaknesses in the studies reviewed. Recommendations for future empirical research are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using videotape modeling to prepare children psychologically for surgery: Influence of parents and costs versus benefits of providing preparation services.

60 patients (aged 2–12 yrs) having 1st-time elective surgery participated in surgery preparation using videotape procedures. The research design included 2 viewing conditions (parent present or absent) and 3 treatment procedures (adult or peer-narrated videotape and control/no-videotape condition). Anxiety measures included a palmar sweat index, a hospital fears rating scale, an observer rating scale of anxiety, and a recovery index. Results suggest that Ss who viewed the videotape with their parent present exhibited less preoperative arousal compared to Ss who did not. The Ss using the videotape exhibited less arousal, less self-reported anxiety, and less behaviorally rated anxiety. In addition, parents who saw the tape or whose children viewed the videotape without them exhibited less arousal prior to the operation than parents who did not and whose children did not view the videotape preparation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental distress and children's problems among single-parent families in China

The coercion model explains reciprocal relationships between parents' and children's adjustment problems, with the mediation of parenting behavior and social relationships. A survey of 301 single parents in Guangzhou, China, was performed to test such a model with reference to parental distress, perceived behavioral problems and anxiety of the eldest child, acceptance of the child, and experienced social pressure and social support. Structural equation modeling demonstrated a good fit of the coercion model as a theoretically based and simplified representation of the relationships, supporting the hypotheses that (a) the parent's acceptance helps prevent the child's behavioral problems, (b) the child's behavioral problems and anxiety contribute to the parent's distress, (c) the child's behavioral problems and anxiety invite social pressure on the parent, (d) social pressure on the parent aggravates and social support for the parent attenuates the parent's distress, (e) social pressure on and social support for the parent facilitate the parent's acceptance of his or her child. However, the effect of parental distress on acceptance of the child was not significant.     

Treatment of parental stress to enhance therapeutic change among children referred for aggressive and antisocial behavior.

This study evaluated a parent problem-solving (PPS) intervention designed to augment the effects of evidence-based therapy for children referred to treatment for aggressive and antisocial behavior. All children (N=127, ages 6-14 years) and their families received problem-solving skills training (PSST), and parents received parent management training (PMT). Families were randomly assigned to receive or not to receive an additional component (PPS) that addressed parental stress over the course of treatment. Children improved with treatment; the PPS intervention enhanced therapeutic change for children and parents and reduced the barriers that parents experienced during treatment. The implications of the findings for improving evidence-based treatment as well as the limitations of adding components to treatment are detailed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cognitive functions of language in the preschool years.

Advances the hypothesis that language influences the young child's thinking and behavior at an earlier age than commonly reported. 3 areas are considered: concept formation, communication, and problem solving. Prelinguistic mastery in these functions is available through sensorimotor skills. Such skills, however, are geared to visual spatial information. In the absence of this information or in the presence of other forms of information, the child begins to employ his verbal system. Because most experimental paradigms are based on visual spatial cues, it is felt that they are not well suited for tapping the linguistic functions available to the young child. (73 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child parent relationship training: Parents' perceptions of process and outcome.

Child Parent Relationship Training (CPRT) is a play-based parent consultation model designed for children (ages 3–10) who may be struggling emotionally or behaviorally. CPRT aims to help parents develop empathy and appreciation for their children, increase parenting ability and confidence, and strengthen parent–child relationships. To date, the majority of CPRT studies have been quantitative in nature. There has been limited research on the effectiveness of CPRT using qualitative methodologies, but existing qualitative studies show promising results. The current study utilized an ethnographic approach to examine the acceptability and perceived effectiveness of CPRT. Findings indicated that the parents perceived the CPRT model to be both acceptable and effective (e.g., increased knowledge and confidence in parenting, enhanced parent–child communication, strengthened parent–child relationships, and reduced behavioral problems among child participants). Limitations of the study and implications for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Filial therapy: Parental perceptions of the process.

Reports on the perceptions that 20 married couples had of the effects of a 10-wk Filial Therapy experience on the parent–child and couple relationship. 26 children (aged 3–13 yrs) participated in Filial Therapy with their parents. Analysis of the qualitative data in response to 2 interview questions reveals improved parent–child and partner communication and improved child behavior. Recurring themes from additional information volunteered by the couples were increased unity between married partners and enthusiasm by family members for the experience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral intervention to reduce child and parent distress during venipuncture.

This study investigated a behavioral intervention incorporating parent coaching, attentional distraction, and positive reinforcement to control child distress during invasive cancer treatment. Children (N?=?23) requiring physical restraint to complete venipuncture were alternately assigned to either a behavioral intervention or an attention control condition. Child distress behaviors were recorded, and self-reports of parent, child, and nurse distress were obtained. Parent and nurse also rated child distress. Results of planned comparisons indicate that observed child distress, parent-rated child distress, and parent ratings of his/her own distress were significantly reduced by behavioral intervention and were maintained across the course of three intervention trials. The use of physical restraint to manage child behavior was also significantly reduced. Child self-reported pain and nurse ratings of child distress were not significantly affected. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effectiveness of a parenting skills program for parents of middle school students in small communities.

This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of behaviorally based parenting skills provided by carefully trained and supervised group leaders who were not mental health clinicians. A program for parents of at-risk middle school students was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial in 8 small Oregon communities. Parents (N?=?303) were randomly assigned to immediate treatment or a wait-list condition. Data were analyzed using latent growth modeling. Participation in the program led to significant improvements in problem-solving interactions as indicated by parent reports and a Taped Situations Test. Parents' overreactivity and laxness toward their children's behavior were reduced and their feelings toward their children improved significantly as a function of treatment. Parent-reported child antisocial behavior was also reduced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Unrealistic expectations and problem-solving ability in maltreating and comparison mothers.

Administered a child development questionnaire, a parent opinion questionnaire, and a parent problem-solving instrument to 10 abusing mothers, 10 neglectful mothers, and 10 matched nonabusing mothers to determine differences in expectations and problem solving. Results show that both groups of maltreating Ss had significantly greater unrealistic expectations and poorer problem-solving skills than did comparison Ss. No differences were found between Ss in the 2 maltreating groups. It is suggested that interventions aimed at modifying faulty expectations and training problem-solving skills would be helpful to maltreating mothers. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Coping skills training for children: Effects on distress before, during, and after hospitalization for surgery.

Tested the hypothesis that coping skills (COS) intervention would help children adapt to hospitalization better than anxiety reduction (AR) or information interventions, using 33 parent–child dyads (children's mean age 7.2 yrs). All groups received the information procedure that described hospitalization and surgery experiences via a puppetry film. In the AR group, parents also learned procedures to help them reduce their own distress. Parents in the COS group learned how to help children use coping self-talk and related techniques. Results show that the AR and COS groups, compared to the information group, reduced children's self-reported fearfulness and parents' reported distress. The COS group, compared to the information group, exhibited fewer maladaptive behaviors during hospitalization and less problematic behavior in the preadmission week and 2nd postdischarge week. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)