Empirical Support for a Treatment Program for Families of Young Children With Externalizing Problems

• Published in: Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology 2004-03, Vol.33 (1), p.182-195
• Main Authors: Feinfield, Kristin Abbott, Baker, Bruce L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - therapy; Behavior disorders; Behavior Modification; Behavior Problems; Behavior Therapy; Child; Child Behavior; Child Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; Child Behavior Disorders - psychology; Child Behavior Disorders - therapy; Child psychology; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Clinical outcomes; Consumer Behavior; Empiricism; Externalizing problems; Families & family life; Family Therapy; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Internal-External Control; Male; Mental health care; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care); Parent Attitudes; Parenting - psychology; Parenting Skills; Parenting Styles; Parents; Parents - education; Parents - psychology; Personality Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Program Effectiveness; Psychometrics; Social Environment; Stress Management; Treatment methods; Treatment Outcome; USA; Young Children
• ISSN: 1537-4416; 1537-4424
• DOI: 10.1207/S15374424JCCP3301_17

We evaluated the efficacy of a manualized multimodal treatment program for young externalizing children. Families were assigned randomly to an immediate 12-week parent and child treatment condition (n = 24) or to a delayed-treatment condition (n = 23). Parents had high attendance, high satisfaction with treatment, and increased knowledge of behavior management principles. Relative to the waitlist condition, treatment parents reported statistically and clinically significant reductions in child behavior problems, improved parenting practices (i.e., increased consistency, decreased power assertive techniques), an increased sense of efficacy, and reduced parenting stress. There was a trend toward parents improving their attitudes toward their children. In considering the process of change, we found evidence that improved parenting practices mediated reductions in child behavior problems and that child improvements mediated changes in parent attitudes and stress. Five months following treatment, teachers reported significant improvements in child behaviors, whereas parents reported that reductions in child behavior problems and parenting stress were maintained.