The interaction of parent and child gender in physical child maltreatment.

Assessed cross-generational patterns of physical child maltreatment taking the gender of both parents and child into consideration, and the experience of shame regarding one's own physically abusive behaviors. 1536 parents (mean age 47 yrs) and their 983 children (mean age 18 yrs) were administered the Conflict Tactics Scale (M. A. Straus, 1989) along with other questionnaires to gather information on aggressive behavior, shame experienced in abusing their children and demographic data. The parents were categorized as physically abusive or nonabusive if both parent and child ratings of the parents' behavior were in agreement. Results show that parents received more physical child maltreatment from their own same gender parent than from opposite gender parents. Among the abusive parents, the more maltreatment they received as children by the same gender parent, the less shame they felt for using such punishment on their own children. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of knowledge of social learning principles on enhancing treatment outcome and generalization in a parent training program.

Examined the efficacy of incorporating formal training in social learning principles into a behavioral parent training program as a means of enhancing treatment outcome and generalization. Two groups of parents (n?=?20) received behavioral skill training designed to modify child noncompliance. One group also received formal training in social learning principles throughout the program. Children had a mean age of 61.75 mo. Outcome measures collected prior to and after treatment and at a 2-mo follow-up included home observations by independent observers, parents' perceptions of child adjustment, and a parent consumer-satisfaction measure. Results indicate that after treatment, the group receiving social learning principles tended to perceive their children as better adjusted and tended to be more satisfied with treatment. At follow-up, parents in this group perceived their children as better adjusted and rewarded their children more. Furthermore, their children were significantly more compliant. Results suggest that temporal and setting generality are enhanced by the inclusion of social learning principles into parent training procedures. (20 ref) (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)     

Review of Helping the noncompliant child: Family-based treatment for oppositional behavior (2nd ed.).

Reviews the book, Helping the noncompliant child: Family-based treatment for oppositional behavior (2nd ed.) by R. J. McMahon and R. L. Forehand (see record 2004-00004-000). Positive outcomes of parent training programs have been well documented in the literature (Lonigan, Elbert, & Johnson, 1998). These programs are often recommended for young children exhibiting disruptive behaviors (Kazdin, 1997). The efficacy of parent training programs for families who are able to complete treatment is documented for both short-term and long-term goals (Brestan & Eyberg, 1998; Lonigan et al., 1998). Helping the Noncompliant Child: Family-Based Treatment for Oppositional Behavior is the second edition of a successful parent training program that promises to deliver results similar to those of the earlier program. In their book, McMahon and Forehand present an intervention treatment program designed for children ages 3 to 8 years who present as "excessively noncompliant." The treatment program is based on the premise that "the child's noncompliant, inappropriate behavior is shaped and maintained through maladaptive patterns of family interaction, which reinforce coercive behaviors" (p. 28). McMahon and Forehand's HNC program provides parents with a specific and practical way to get out of the coercive cycle of negative interactions by using attention and rewards, ignoring negative behaviors, and giving clear instructions. The program falls short when it uses essentially the same time-out procedure for noncompliance for children between the ages of 3 and 8 and regardless of the function or reason for the noncompliance. To intervene effectively with a child, all of the issues at hand must be taken into consideration. In severe cases, the time-out procedure recommended could actually increase conflict between the parent and the child should the child not comply, resulting in family drop out or the need to modify the adjunctive individual therapies. Preparing parents for these exceptions and possible need for modifying the program by clarifying the populations who have been successful and unsuccessful in parent training programs would be a good addition to the book. This book can only be recommended for use with families for whom a thorough evaluation has determined that the child's noncompliant behaviors are a function of coercive family interactions consisting of unclear parenting messages. The child must evidence the ability to participate effectively in the time-out procedure. The child and family must clearly fit into the population shown to benefit from parent training programs. For these families, the HNC program may decrease noncompliant behaviors. (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)     

Enhancing treatment gains in a school-based intervention for children of divorce through skill training, parental involvement, and transfer procedures.

The school-based Children's Support Group procedure teaches skills to cope with divorce-related events and provides strategies for mastering disrupted developmental tasks. Ss were 103 3rd–5th grade children of separated or divorced parents who were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: (1) support, (2) support and skill building, or (3) support, skill building, transfer, and parent training procedures. 26 children from intact homes served as non-stressed controls. The 2 skill-building conditions yielded durable improvements in adjustive behaviors in the home. Transfer components yielded additional improvements in affect, but the absence of substantial increments in benefits suggests the need for a closer look at the format and expectations of the transfer vehicle. The benefits of the support-alone condition were experienced most by children who entered the intervention with significant problems, with the greatest reductions in clinical symptomatology at follow-up being found in this group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Filial therapy with incarcerated mothers: A five week model.

Filial therapy, a method of training parents to respond and interact therapeutically with their children, focuses on enhancing the parent–child relationship. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a 5-wk model of filial therapy with incarcerated mothers as a method of increasing empathic behaviors with their children, increasing attitudes of acceptance toward their children, and reducing stress related to parenting. The results support filial therapy as an effective intervention for enhancing the parent–child relationship with incarcerated mothers and their children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Randomized controlled trial of a family cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention for children of depressed parents.

A family cognitive-behavioral preventive intervention for parents with a history of depression and their 9–15-year-old children was compared with a self-study written information condition in a randomized clinical trial (n = 111 families). Outcomes were assessed at postintervention (2 months), after completion of 4 monthly booster sessions (6 months), and at 12-month follow-up. Children were assessed by child reports on depressive symptoms, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems; by parent reports on internalizing and externalizing problems; and by child and parent reports on a standardized diagnostic interview. Parent depressive symptoms and parent episodes of major depression also were assessed. Evidence emerged for significant differences favoring the family group intervention on both child and parent outcomes; strongest effects for child outcomes were found at the 12-month assessment with medium effect sizes on most measures. Implications for the prevention of adverse outcomes in children of depressed parents are highlighted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impacts d'un programme d'interventions multidimensionnel con?u pour les parents et leur enfant ayant un TDAH sur le stress parental et la relation parent–enfant.

The behaviours that characterize ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) often lead to impairments in the parent–child relationship and contribute to increased stress amongst parents of children with the disorder. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of a multimodal intervention program (Multi-Propulsions) on parental stress and on parent–child relationship as perceived by parents. The program combines: (1) a cognitive-behavioural program for ADHD children including physical activities in an adapted gymnasium; (2) a cognitive-behavioural parent training program; (3) joint activities with children and parents under the supervision of professionals. Sample contents 23 families with ADHD children aged between 6 and 12 years old from the ADHD clinic of the Rivière-des-Prairies Hospital in Montreal. Participants were randomly assigned to treatment or waiting group. Results highlight the efficiency of Multi-Propulsions program for diminishing parental stress, particularly stress associated with child's characteristics, and these therapeutic gains were maintained four months after the treatment. Furthermore, the results show an improvement in the quality of parent–child relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parent training for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: its impact on parent functioning

This study examined changes in parent functioning resulting from parental participation in a behavioral parent training (PT) program specifically designed for school-aged children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Relative to wait list controls, subjects who completed the nine-session PT program showed significant posttreatment gains in both child and parent functioning, which were maintained 2 months after treatment. In particular, there were PT-induced reductions in parenting stress and increases in parenting self-esteem, which accompanied parent-reported improvements in the overall severity of their child's ADHD symptoms. In addition to their statistical importance, these findings are discussed in terms of their clinical significance, utilizing methods developed by Jacobson and Truax (1991).     

A promising parenting intervention in foster care.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-component intervention for biological and foster parent (pairs) to improve parenting practices, co-parenting, and child externalizing problems. Participants were biological and foster parents (N = 128) of primarily neglected children (ages 3 to 10 years) placed in regular foster homes. Biological and foster parents were randomly assigned in pairs to the intervention (n = 80) or a usual care (n = 48) condition. Intervention families received a 12-week parenting course (Incredible Years) and a newly developed co-parenting component. Key findings included significant gains in positive parenting and collaborative co-parenting for both biological and foster parents at the end of the intervention. At follow-up, intervention parents sustained greater improvement in positive parenting, showed gains in clear expectations, and reported a trend for fewer child externalizing problems. Findings supported the feasibility of offering joint parenting training to meet the needs of participating families and demonstrated that the co-parenting construct applied to families in the foster care system was amenable to intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child and parent weight loss in family-based behavior modification programs.

Overweight preadolescents and parents from 76 families were assigned to 1 of 3 behavioral treatment groups: parent/child target, child target, or nonspecific target. Percent overweight changes at the end of the 8-mo treatment and 13-mo follow-up were equivalent for children in the 3 treatment groups, but parents in the parent/child group lost more weight during treatment. Weight changes for parents and children increased through the 8-mo treatment. Patterns of maintenance showed that 40% of the children were within 20% of their ideal weight by the end of treatment, achieving nonobese status. 100% of the newly nonobese children in the parent/child group maintained nonobesity during follow-up, whereas only 30% in the child-alone group and 33% in the nonspecific group maintained nonobesity. In addition, weight losses for parents and children in the same family correlated positively at the end of treatment but not at follow-up. Results suggest that parental modeling may be important during treatment, but long-term results probably are due to parental reinforcement of child self-regulation. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intensive child parent relationship therapy with Israeli parents in Israel.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of an intensive child parent relationship therapy (CPRT)—filial therapy training (G. L. Landreth & S. Bratton, 2006)—as a method of intervention for Israeli parents in Israel, families who are experiencing prolonged stress and trauma since Israel's creation. Results of the multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that the Israeli parents in the experimental group (14 parents) significantly increased their level of empathic interactions with their children and their attitude of acceptance toward their children and significantly reduced their level of stress related to parenting as compared with parents in the nontreatment comparison group (13 parents). This study supports the use of CPRT for promoting the child–parent relationship in Israeli parents living in Israel. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preoperative preparation programs in children: a comparative examination

We sought to determine whether an extensive behavioral preparation program for children undergoing surgery is more effective than a limited behavioral program. The primary end point was child and parent anxiety during the preoperative period. Secondary end points included behavior of the child during the induction of anesthesia and the postoperative recovery period. Several days before surgery, children (n = 75) aged 2-12 yr randomly received either an information-based program (OR tour), an information + modeling-based program (OR tour + videotape), or an information + modeling + coping-based program (OR tour + videotape + child-life preparation). Using behavioral and physiological measures of anxiety, we found that children who received the extensive program exhibited less anxiety immediately after the intervention, in the holding area on the day of surgery, and on separation to the operating room. These findings, however, achieved statistical significance only in the holding area on the day of surgery (44[10-72] vs 32[8-50] vs 9[6-33]; P = 0.02). Similarly, parents in the extensive program were significantly less anxious on the day of surgery in the preoperative holding area, as assessed by behavioral (P = 0.015) and physiological measures (P = 0.01). In contrast, no differences were found among the groups during the induction of anesthesia, recovery room period, or 2 wk postoperatively. We conclude that children and parents who received the extensive preoperative preparation program exhibited lower levels of anxiety during the preoperative period, but not during the intraoperative or postoperative periods. IMPLICATIONS: The extensive behavioral preoperative program that we undertook had limited anxiolytic effects. These effects were localized to the preoperative period and did not extended to the induction of anesthesia or the postoperative recovery period.     

The generalization effects of parent training across stimulus settings

Five parents of nonverbal children were trained in two home settings to modify antecedents and consequences to their children's vocalizations. Generalization effects of the parent training on both the parent's and children's behaviors under different stimulus conditions were investigated using multiple-baseline designs. Increases in parent prompting and reinforcing their children's vocalizations generalized only minimally to a new setting in the home where parent training had not occurred. Child increases in vocalizations produced by the parents in the training settings did generalize to this new setting in the home. There was minimal generalization of child vocalizations to a free-play setting at school. In a formal speech session conducted by a behavior specialist at school, only one child showed definite increases in acquisition rate as a function of the parents starting to train the sound at home.     

A longitudinal analysis of risk factors for child maltreatment: findings of a 17-year prospective study of officially recorded and self-reported child abuse and neglect

OBJECTIVE: To identify demographic, family, parent, and child factors prospectively associated with risk for child abuse and neglect among families in the community, using data on child maltreatment obtained from both official records and youth self-reports. METHOD: Surveys assessing demographic variables, family relationships, parental behavior, and characteristics of parents and children were administered to a representative sample of 644 families in upstate New York on four occasions between 1975 and 1992. Data on child abuse and neglect were obtained from New York State records and retrospective self-report instruments administered when youths were > or = 18 years old. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses indicated that different patterns of risk factors predicted the occurrence of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, although maternal youth and maternal sociopathy predicted the occurrence of all three forms of child maltreatment. In addition, the prevalence of child abuse or neglect increased from 3% when no risk factors were present to 24% when > or = 4 risk factors were present. State records and self-reports of child maltreatment did not correspond in most cases when maltreatment was reported through at least one data source, underlining the importance of obtaining data from both official records and self-reports. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of a number of risk factors may permit health professionals to identify parents and children who are at high risk for child maltreatment, facilitating appropriate implementation of prevention and treatment interventions.     

Efferent projection from the rostral ventrolateral medulla to the area postrema in rats

Describes interim results of a study examining the effectiveness of parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) with families of preschool-age children with oppositional defiant disorder. Following an initial assessment, 64 clinic-referred families were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment (i.t.) or a wait-list control (WL) condition. Results indicated that parents in the IT condition interacted more positively with their child and were more successful in gaining their child's compliance than parents in the WL condition. In addition, parents who received treatment reported decreased parenting stress and a more internal locus of control. Parents in the IT group reported statistically and clinically significant improvements in their child's behavior following PCIT. All families who received treatment reported high levels of satisfaction with both the content and process of PCIT. Preliminary 4-month follow-up data showed that parents maintained gains on all self-report measures.     

Comparison of multisystemic therapy and parent training in the brief treatment of child abuse and neglect.

This study evaluated the relative efficacy of two promising treatments of child abuse and child neglect: parent training and multisystemic therapy. Subjects included 18 abusive families and 15 neglectful families who were randomly assigned to the treatment conditions. Self-report and observational measures were used to evaluate the effects of treatment at three levels that have been associated with child maltreatment: individual functioning, family relations, and stress/social support. Statistical analyses revealed that families who received either treatment showed decreased parental psychiatric symptomology, reduced overall stress, and a reduction in the severity of identified problems. Analyses of sequential observational measures revealed that multisystemic therapy was more effective than parent training at restructuring parent–child relations. Parent training was more effective than multisystemic therapy at reducing identified social problems. The differential influences of the two treatments were probably associated with differences in their respective treatment contexts and epistemologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of physician counseling technique on parent reactions to mental retardation diagnosis

Many parents of mentally retarded children express dissatisfaction with how physicians initially communicate the diagnosis. We conducted a structured interview to identify and evaluate circumstances and counseling techniques which parents felt influenced their reactions to the initial diagnostic interview. Significant physician behaviors were an attitude of concern, appreciation of the handicapped child's value to the parents as a love object, planning an uninterrupted and unhurried discussion of the findings, allowing parent contact with the child before the diagnosis was told, sharing extensive information with the parents but without absolute predictions, and making specific practical recommendations. Satisfied parents were more likely to follow the physician's recommendations. The degree of dissatisfaction did not correlate with lag time before parents enrolled in an early childhood special education program. Other obstacles exist to early intervention.     

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)