Group-based parent training for preventing mental health disorders in children

Conduct problems in preschool children are a significant mental health problem associated with later psychosocial and psychiatric disorders, pointing to the need for effective community-based preventive interventions with families of young children at risk. Group-based parent training has been described as one such intervention. This paper presents the nature of conduct problems in young children, the role of day care and preschools in gaining access to young children at risk, the theory and research underlying group-based parent training as one type of effective prevention strategy, and characteristics of effective parent training programs. Examples from the authors' experiences implementing parent training in day care centers in Chicago are presented.