The effects of the Webster-Stratton parenting program on maltreating families: fostering strengths

• Published in: Child abuse & neglect 2004-10, Vol.28 (10), p.1081-1097
• Main Authors: Hughes, Jean R., Gottlieb, Laurie N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Canada; Child; Child Abuse; Child abuse & neglect; Child Abuse - prevention & control; Child maltreatment; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Children; Consumer Behavior; Control Groups; Educational Status; Families & family life; Home Visits; Humans; Male; Marital Status; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Parent Child Relations; Parent Child Relationship; Parent Education; Parent Training; Parenting; Parenting program; Parenting Skills; Parents; Parents & parenting; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Randomized clinical trial; Randomized Controlled Trials; Skills training; Social Support; Treatment Programs; Treatments; Webster-Stratton program; Webster-Stratton programme
• ISSN: 0145-2134; 1873-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.02.004

This study examined the effects of the Webster-Stratton parenting program on the parenting skills of maltreating mothers and on the autonomy of their children (3–8 years). A randomized controlled trial was used. Twenty-six maltreating families were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: the 16-hour weekly intervention group, or the 4-month wait list control group. Pre- and post-intervention independent assessments included a 2-hour home visit involving videotaped mother-child interactions during two prescribed, 10-minute play activities. Compared to the control group, treatment mothers demonstrated significant improvement in involvement and marginally significant improvement in autonomy-support, but no improvement in structure. Treatment group children showed no significant improvement in autonomy when compared to control group children. This parenting program proved effective with maltreating parents. The lack of demonstrated effect on children may reflect the need for a larger and more sustained treatment dose and/or the need to include parent-child interaction opportunities in the program. At the same time, while treatment gains were limited to the parent, the high treatment adherence rate (92% attended six or more of the eight program sessions) and low attrition rate ( n = 1) indicate that the treatment gains may hold potential for more thorough examination. Cette étude examine comment le programme Webster-Stratton affecte les compétences parentales de mères abusives et l’autonomie de leurs enfants (âgés de 3 à 8 ans). : On a utilisé un processus aléatoire où 26 familles abusives ont été soumises à l’un de deux programmes, soit un groupe hebdomadaire comprenant 16 heures de programmation ou un groupe contrôle dont la liste d’attente était de quatre mois. On a mené des évaluations avant et après le programme, comprenant une visite à domicile de deux heures où les interactions de jeux entre mère et enfant ont été enregistrées sur vidéo, pour une période de 10 minutes. Comparé au groupe contrôle, les mères ayant bénéficié d’une intervention ont démontré des améliorations importantes au niveau de leur engagement auprès de leur enfant et des améliorations d’une certaine importance au niveau de leur appui de l’autonomie de l’enfant. On n’a noté aucune amélioration au niveau de la structure de leur interaction. Les enfants dans le groupe ayant bénéficié d’une intervention n’ont démontré aucune amélioration significative au niveau de leur sens de l’autono