Parenting Wisely Six Months Later: How Implementation Delivery Impacts Program Effects at Follow-Up

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Family Studies
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Parenting programs aim to improve family dynamics and child behavior.
• Evidence for sustained effects and comparative effectiveness across delivery formats is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the Parenting Wisely (PW) program.
• To assess differences in PW program effectiveness based on delivery format.
• To examine mechanisms of change in parenting and family dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Quasi-experimental design with 311 parents in five PW formats and 53 in a comparison group.
• Utilized McMaster Family Assessment Device, Child Behavior Checklist, and Violent Behavior Checklist.
• Assessed outcomes 6 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• PW participants showed increased parenting confidence, reduced parent-adolescent conflict, and decreased adolescent externalizing and violent behaviors.
• Program effects were mediated by improvements in positive parenting and reductions in negative family dynamics.
• Effectiveness was similar across formats, except for the intensive workshop, which was less effective.

Conclusions:

• The Parenting Wisely program demonstrates sustained effectiveness in improving parenting and reducing adolescent behavioral issues.
• The program's flexible delivery formats are largely comparable in effectiveness, supporting its adaptability.
• Findings support PW as an evidence-based, adaptable intervention for diverse, disadvantaged families.