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Effectiveness of telephone-assisted parent-administered behavioural family intervention for preschool children with
Frauke Kierfeld1, Elena Ise, Charlotte Hanisch
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Str. 10, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
Insights
Telephone-assisted parent training effectively reduces externalizing and internalizing child behavior problems. This intervention also decreases dysfunctional parenting and parental stress in families with preschoolers.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Family Therapy
Background:
- Externalizing problem behavior is a common childhood disorder.
- Parent training is an effective treatment for children with externalizing behaviors.
- There is increasing interest in parent-administered interventions with minimal therapist contact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the efficacy of a telephone-assisted parent-administered behavioral intervention (bibliotherapy) for preschool children with externalizing problem behavior.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled study was conducted with families of preschool children diagnosed with externalizing problem behavior.
- Families were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n=26) or an untreated waitlist control group (n=22).
- The intervention involved reading a self-help book and weekly telephone consultations.
Main Results:
- The treatment group showed significant decreases in parent-reported externalizing and internalizing child problem behavior compared to the control group.
- Dysfunctional parenting practices were significantly reduced in the treatment group.
- Treated parents reported reduced parenting-related strains, parental depression, anxiety, and stress.
Conclusions:
- Telephone-assisted self-administered parent training is an effective intervention for preschool children with externalizing problem behavior.
- This approach offers a viable alternative to more intensive behavioral family interventions.
Abstract:
Externalizing problem behaviour is one of the most common childhood disorders. Parent training is an effective treatment for these children and there is growing interest in the effects of parent-administered interventions with minimal therapist contact. This randomized controlled study examined the efficacy of a telephone-assisted parent-administered behavioural intervention (bibliotherapy) in families with preschool children with externalizing problem behaviour. Families were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 26) and an untreated waitlist control group (n = 22). The intervention comprised the reading of an 11 chapter self-help book and 11 weekly telephone consultations. Compared to the control group, the treatment group demonstrated significant decreases in parent-reported externalizing and internalizing child problem behaviour and dysfunctional parenting practices. Moreover, treated parents reported less parenting-related strains and decreases in parental depression, anxiety, and stress. The results suggest that telephone-assisted self-administered parent training is an effective alternative to more intensive forms of behavioural family intervention for preschool children with externalizing problem behaviour.
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