Treatment effectiveness of PMTO for children's behavior problems in Iceland: assessing parenting practices in a randomized controlled trial

An Equity-Focused Assessment of Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention Research

Evidence-based parenting interventions (EBPI) support children and families to promote resilience, address emotional and behavioral concerns, and prevent or address issues related to child maltreatment. Critiques of EBPIs include concerns about their relevance and effectiveness for diverse populations when they are implemented at population scale. Research methods that center racial equity and include community-based participatory approaches have the potential to address some of these concerns. The purpose of the present review was to document the extent to which methods associated with promoting racial equity in research have been used in studies that contribute to the evidence base for programs that meet evidentiary standards for a clearinghouse that was developed to support the Family First Prevention Services Act in the United States. We developed a coding system largely based on the Culturally Responsive Evaluation model. A sample of 47 papers that are part of the evidence base for ten in-home parent skill-based programs were reviewed and coded. Only three of 28 possible codes were observed to occur in over half of the studies (including race/ethnicity demographic characteristics, conducting measure reliability for the study sample, and including information on socioeconomic status). Although the overall presence of equity-informed methods was low, a positive trend was observed over time. This review highlights ways in which rigorous research can incorporate racial equity into the planning, design, execution, and interpretation and dissemination of programs of study. We posit that doing so improves the external validity of studies while maintaining high-quality research that can contribute to an evidence base.

Early childhood impulsivity and parenting predict children's development of externalizing psychopathology

Parenting and child impulsivity are consistent predictors of children's externalizing symptoms; however, the role of the range of parenting (i.e., variation in parenting across contexts), and its interactions with child impulsivity, are poorly understood. We examined whether characteristic parenting practices and parenting range predicted the course of externalizing symptoms in 409 children (M_age = 3.43 years at baseline, 208 girls) across ages 3, 5, 8, and 11. We assessed parent positive affectivity (PPA), hostility, and parenting structure at child age 3 using three behavioral tasks that varied in context, examining range by modeling a latent difference score for each parenting dimension. Greater PPA range, mean structure, and parenting structure range all predicted fewer symptoms at age 3 for children with higher impulsivity. Lower mean hostility predicted fewer symptoms at age 3 for children with lower impulsivity. Greater PPA, and smaller PPA range, predicted a decrease in symptoms for children higher in impulsivity. Lower hostility range predicted a decrease in symptoms for children with lower impulsivity but predicted maintaining symptoms for children with higher impulsivity. Results demonstrate the differential roles average parenting practices and parenting range play in the development of child externalizing psychopathology, especially in the context of child impulsivity.

Effectiveness of GenerationPMTO to Promote Parenting and Child Adjustment: A Meta-Analytic Review

GenerationPMTO is a theory- and evidence-based behavioral parenting program widely implemented in the past three decades. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of twenty GenerationPMTO studies on parenting and child adjustment among 3893 families in six countries. Hedges' g from studies with pretest-posttest-controlled designs were computed and robust variance estimation (RVE) was used to deal with the effect size dependency. Results showed that GenerationPMTO significantly promoted parenting and child adjustment with moderate to high levels of heterogeneity. Specifically, GenerationPMTO improved parental discipline, parenting monitoring, skill encouragement, child externalizing problems, and child internalizing problems. Subgroup analyses revealed several important moderators, including type of comparison group, measurement, informant, risk of bias, etc. Intervention effects were quite robust across countries and multiple demographic characteristics. No publication bias across studies for parenting and child adjustment was detected. The revised Cochrane risk of bias for randomized trials (RoB 2) procedure was used to assess risk of bias within the included studies. Some studies showed a higher level of risk due to problems with the randomization process, missing data, low measurement quality, and reporting bias. Due to lack of data, we did not examine intervention effects on parental mental health or couple relationship quality. Future studies should test mediation models to understand the mechanisms of change and to identify moderators in order to understand the high levels of heterogeneity in GenerationPMTO studies.

Parent Management Training Oregon Model and Family-Based Services as Usual for Behavioral Problems in Youth: A National Randomized Controlled Trial in Denmark

This randomized control trial used intent-to-treat analyses to compare parent management training-Oregon model (PMTO) (N = 64) to family-based services as usual (SAU) (N = 62) in 3.5-13-year-old children and their families in Denmark. Outcomes were parent report of child internalizing and externalizing problems, parenting efficacy, parenting stress, parent sense of coherence, parent-report of life satisfaction, and parental depressive symptoms. Outcomes were measured at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 18-20 months post-treatment. Results demonstrated that both PMTO and family-based SAU resulted in significant improvements in child externalizing and internalizing problems, parenting efficacy, as well as parent-reported stress and depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and aspects of sense of cohesion. Effect sizes at post-treatment and follow-up were in the small to moderate range, consistent with prior PMTO evaluations. However, there were no significant differences between PMTO and family-based SAU. Further research on the process and content of family-based SAU is needed to determine how this approach overlaps with and is distinct from PMTO.

Process Evaluation of a Stress Management Program for Low-Income Pregnant Women: The SMART Moms/Mamás LÍSTAS Project

Background. The SMART Moms/Mamás LÍSTAS Project was a randomized control trial that tested the efficacy of a prenatal stress management program in reducing stress and cortisol levels among low-income women. The current study is a process evaluation of the stress management program (intervention arm of the original randomized controlled trial) and assessed whether implementation fidelity factors (i.e., intervention delivery, receipt, and enactment) were associated with lower stress (perceived stress, salivary cortisol), improved negative and positive mood states (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), and increased confidence to use relaxation and coping skills. Method. Fifty-five low-income pregnant women (71% Latina, 76% annual income <$20,000) attended weekly group-based sessions over an 8-week period in which a clinically trained researcher taught relaxation and coping skills. Process evaluation measures were obtained via participant self-report and videotaped class sessions that were coded for delivery, receipt, and enactment of the intervention to determine which implementation factors were associated with changes in program outcomes (stress, mood, confidence) over the 8-week period. Results. Women in stress management showed a significant reduction in their stress and cortisol levels (p < .001), improvements in negative and positive mood states (p < .001) and were more confident in using relaxation and coping skills postintervention (74%). The implementation factors of delivery (i.e., instructor adherence to intervention content; p = .03) and enactment (i.e., participant use of intervention skills; p = .02) were most associated with improvements in program outcomes. Conclusion. These findings highlight that implementation factors should be considered when delivering stress management interventions in underserved communities.

Multiple family group service delivery model for children with disruptive behavior disorders: Impact on caregiver stress and depressive symptoms

Disproportionately high rates of caregiver stress and depression are found among poverty-impacted communities, with high levels of caregiver stress and depression putting youth at heightened risk for the onset and perpetuation of disruptive behavior disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a behavioral parent training program called the 4Rs and 2Ss for Strengthening Families Program (4R2S) on caregiver stress and depressive symptoms among 320 youth aged seven to 11 and their families assigned to either the 4R2S or services as usual (SAU) condition. Among caregivers with clinically significant scores at baseline, 4R2S participants manifested significantly reduced scores on the stress and depressive symptom scores to SAU participants at 6-month follow-up. Findings suggest that 4R2S may reduce caregiver stress and depressive symptoms among those caregivers initially manifesting clinically significant levels of stress or depressive symptoms.

Implementing an Evidence-Based Intervention for Children in Europe: Evaluating the Full-Transfer Approach

This study evaluated the implementation outcomes of GenerationPMTO, an evidence-based parenting intervention for child and adolescent behavior problems, in three European countries. The implementation approach was full transfer, in which purveyors train a first generation (G1) of practitioners; adopting sites assume oversight, training, certification, and fidelity assessment for subsequent generations (Forgatch & DeGarmo, 2011; Forgatch & Gewirtz, 2017). Three hundred therapists participated in trainings in GenerationPMTO in Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Data are from the implementation's initiation in each country through 2016, resulting in 6 generations in Iceland, 8 in Denmark, and 4 in the Netherlands. Therapist fidelity was measured at certification with an observation-based tool, the Fidelity of Implementation Rating System (Knutson, Forgatch, Rains, & Sigmarsdóttir, 2009). Candidates in all generations achieved fidelity scores at or above the required standard. Certification fidelity scores were evaluated for G1 candidates, who were trained by the purveyor, and subsequent generations trained by the adopting implementation site. In each country, certification fidelity scores declined for G2 candidates compared with G1 and recovered to G1 levels for subsequent generations, partially replicating findings from a previous Norwegian study (Forgatch & DeGarmo, 2011). Recovery to G1 levels of fidelity scores was obtained in Iceland and the Netherlands by G3; in Denmark, the recovery was obtained by G5. The mean percentage of certification in each country was more than 80%; approximately 70% of certified therapists remained active in 2017. Findings support full transfer as an effective implementation approach with long-term sustainability and fidelity.

Feasibility of Implementation of a Parenting Intervention with Karen Refugees Resettled from Burma

Parents and children exposed to war and relocation have high rates of negative relational and mental health outcomes. This study tested the feasibility of implementing an adapted evidence-based parenting intervention for contexts of trauma and relocation stress. Eleven Karen refugee caregivers from Burma participated in the intervention. Participants and a focal child completed ethnographic interviews as well as structured assessments at baseline and follow-up. Caregivers reported changes in their teaching, directions, emotional regulation, discipline, and child compliance. Children reported changes in these areas and in positive parent involvement. Caregivers reported higher mental health distress immediately after the intervention, potentially due to increased awareness. Researchers made personalized referrals for counseling services as needed. Children reported a decrease in mental health symptoms.

The Effectiveness of Parent Management Training-Oregon Model in Clinically Referred Children with Externalizing Behavior Problems in The Netherlands

The present study examined the effectiveness of parent management training-Oregon model (PMTO) as a treatment for children with externalizing behavior problems in The Netherlands. Clinically referred children (N = 146) aged 4-11 years and their parents were partly randomized to either PMTO (n = 91) or Care As Usual (CAU; n = 55). Families were assessed at four time points: at pretreatment, and after 6, 12, and 18 months. Results showed that both PMTO and CAU were effective in reducing child externalizing behavior, parenting stress and parental psychopathology, with no significant differences between the two treatment conditions. PMTO and CAU interventions also produced some improvements in self-reported parenting skills, but not in observed parenting skills. According to the Reliable Change Index, 16.9 and 45.8 % of the children within the PMTO group showed full recovery or improvement in externalizing behavior, respectively, versus 9.7 and 42.8 % in the CAU condition. Finally, the effect size of PMTO on parent-reported externalizing behavior problems as found in the present study was comparable to that found in previous studies evaluating PMTO as an intervention for this type of child psychopathology.

Effects of PMTO in Foster Families with Children with Behavior Problems: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The present randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of Parent Management Training Oregon for foster parents with foster children (aged 4-12) with severe externalizing behavior problems in long-term foster care arrangements. Foster children's behavior problems are challenging for foster parents and increase the risk of placement breakdown. There is little evidence for the effectiveness of established interventions to improve child and parent functioning in foster families. The goal of Parent Management Training Oregon, a relatively long and intensive (6-9 months, with weekly sessions) parent management training, is to reduce children's problem behavior through improvement of parenting practices. We specifically investigated whether Parent Management Training Oregon is effective to reduce foster parenting stress. A significant effect of Parent Management Training Oregon, compared to Care as Usual was expected on reduced parenting stress improved parenting practices, and on reduced child behavior problems. Multi-informant (foster mothers, foster fathers, and teachers) data were used from 86 foster families (46 Parent Management Training Oregon, 40 Care as Usual) using a pre-posttest design. Multilevel analyses based on the intention to treat principle (retention rate 73 %) showed that Parent Management Training Oregon, compared to Care as Usual, reduced general levels of parenting stress as well as child related stress and parent-related stress (small to medium effect sizes). The clinical significance of this effect was, however, limited. Compared to a decrease in the Care as Usual group, Parent Management Training Oregon helped foster mothers to maintain parental warmth (small effect size). There were no other effects of Parent Management Training Oregon on self-reported parenting behaviors. Child behavior problems were reduced in both conditions, indicating no additive effects of Parent Management Training Oregon to Care as Usual on child functioning. The potential implication of reduced foster parenting stress for placement stability is discussed.

Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) in the Treatment of Young Children's Behavior Problems. A Randomized Controlled Study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present investigation was to compare the effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) with treatment as usual (TAU) in young children who were referred to regular child and adolescent mental health clinics for behavior problems.

METHOD

Eighty-one Norwegian families with two- to seven-year-old children (52 boys) who had scored ≥ 120 on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) were randomly assigned to receive either PCIT or TAU. The families were assessed 6 and 18 months after beginning treatment. Parenting skills were measured using the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS), and child behavior problems were measured using the ECBI and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

RESULTS

Linear growth curve analyses revealed that the behavior problems of children receiving PCIT improved more compared with children receiving TAU according to mother reports (ECBI d = .64, CBCL d = .61, both p < .05) but not according to father report. Parents also improved with regard to Do and Don't skills (d = 2.58, d = 1.46, respectively, both p ≤ .001). At the 6-month assessment, which often occurred before treatment was finished, children who had received PCIT had lower father-rated ECBI and mother-rated CBCL-scores (p = .06) compared with those who had received TAU. At the 18-month follow-up, the children who had received PCIT showed fewer behavior problems compared with TAU according to mother (d = .37) and father (d = .56) reports on the ECBI and mother reports on the CBCL regarding externalizing problems (d = .39). Parents receiving PCIT developed more favorable Do Skills (6-month d = 1.81; 18-month d = 1.91) and Don't Skills (6-month d = 1.46; 18-month d = 1.42) according to observer ratings on the DPICS compared with those receiving TAU.

CONCLUSION

Children receiving PCIT in regular clinical practice exhibited a greater reduction in behavior problems compared with children receiving TAU, and their parents' parenting skills improved to a greater degree compared with those receiving TAU.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NTC01085305.

Looking Forward: The Promise of Widespread Implementation of Parent Training Programs

Over the past quarter century, researchers have developed a body of parent training programs that have proven effective in reducing child behavior problems, but few of these have made their way into routine practice. This article describes the long and winding road of implementation as applied to children's mental health. Adopting Rogers' (1995) diffusion framework and Fixsen and colleagues' implementation framework (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005), we review more than a decade of research on the implementation of Parent Management Training-Oregon Model (PMTO). Data from U.S. and international PMTO implementations are used to illustrate the payoffs and the challenges of making empirically supported interventions routine practice in the community. Technological advances that break down barriers to communication across distances, the availability of efficacious programs suitable for implementation, and the urgent need for high quality mental health care provide strong rationales for prioritizing implementation. Over the next quarter of a century, the challenge is to reduce the prevalence of children's psychopathology by creating science-based delivery systems to reach families in need, everywhere.

Transporting Evidence-Based Parenting Programs for Child Problem Behavior (Age 3-10) Between Countries: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There has been rapid global dissemination of parenting interventions, yet little is known about their effectiveness when transported to countries different from where they originated, or about factors influencing success. This is the first systematic attempt to address this issue, focusing on interventions for reducing child behavior problems. Stage 1 identified evidence-based parenting interventions showing robust effects in systematic reviews; Stage 2 identified trials of these interventions in a new country. Systematic review/meta-analysis of transported programs was followed by subgroup analyses by trial- and country-level cultural, resource, and policy factors. We found 17 transported trials of 4 interventions, originating in United States or Australia, tested in 10 countries in 5 regions, (n = 1,558 children). Effects on child behavior were substantial (SMD -.71) in the (14) randomized trials, but nonsignificant in the (3) nonrandomized trials. Subgroup analyses of randomized trials found no association between effect size and participant or intervention factors (e.g., program brand, staffing). Interventions transported to "western" countries showed comparable effects to trials in origin countries; however, effects were stronger when interventions were transported to culturally more distant regions. Effects were higher in countries with survival-focused family/childrearing values than those ranked more individualistic. There were no differences in effects by country-level policy or resource factors. Contrary to common belief, parenting interventions appear to be at least as effective when transported to countries that are more different culturally, and in service provision, than those in which they were developed. Extensive adaptation did not appear necessary for successful transportation.

Family support programs and adolescent mental health: review of evidence

Family support programs aim to improve parent wellbeing and parenting as well as adolescent mental and behavioral health by addressing the needs of parents of adolescents experiencing or at risk for mental health problems. Family support programs can be part of the treatment for adolescents diagnosed with mental or behavioral health problems, or family support programs can be delivered as prevention programs designed to prevent the onset or escalation of mental or behavioral health problems. This review discusses the rationale for family support programs and describes the range of services provided by family support programs. The primary focus of the review is on evaluating the effectiveness of family support programs as treatments or prevention efforts delivered by clinicians or peers. Two main themes emerged from the review. First, family support programs that included more forms of support evidenced higher levels of effectiveness than family support programs that provided fewer forms of support. Discussion of this theme focuses on individual differences in client needs and program adaptions that may facilitate meeting diverse needs. Second, family support prevention programs appear to be most effective when serving individuals more in need of mental and behavioral health services. Discussion of this theme focuses on the intensity versus breadth of the services provided in prevention programs. More rigorous evaluations of family support programs are needed, especially for peer-delivered family support treatments.

Treatment effectiveness of PMTO for children's behavior problems in Iceland: assessing parenting practices in a randomized controlled trial

Findings are presented from an Icelandic randomized control trial (RCT) evaluating parent management training - Oregon model (PMTO™), a parent training intervention designed to improve parenting practices and reduce child behavior problems. In a prior report from this effectiveness study that focused on child outcomes, children in the PMTO condition showed greater reductions in reported child adjustment problems relative to the comparison group. The present report focuses on observed parenting practices as the targeted outcome, with risk by treatment moderators also tested. It was hypothesized that mothers assigned to the PMTO condition would show greater gains in pre-post parenting practices relative to controls. The sample was recruited from five municipalities throughout Iceland and included 102 participating families of children with behavior problems. Cases were referred by community professionals and randomly assigned to either PMTO (n = 51) or community services usually offered (n = 51). Child age ranged from 5 to 12 years; 73% were boys. Contrary to expectations, findings showed no main effects for changes in maternal parenting. However, evaluation of risk by treatment moderators showed greater gains in parenting practices for mothers who increased in depressed mood within the PMTO group relative to their counterparts in the comparison group. This finding suggests that PMTO prevented the expected damaging effects of depression on maternal parenting. Failure to find hypothesized main effects may indicate that there were some unobserved factors regarding the measurement and a need to further adapt the global observational procedures to Icelandic culture.