The effectiveness and acceptability of a brief parent training intervention delivered via telehealth
Abstract
Externalizing behavior problems are common in childhood and yet families increasingly
face barriers to accessing evidence-based interventions such as parent training. Developing and
evaluating novel service delivery methods are important to reducing this access gap. The purpose
of the present study is to evaluate parent perception and overall effectiveness of a brief and
focused parent training intervention for children with externalizing behavioral problems
delivered via telehealth. Using a noncurrent multiple baseline design, six families were
randomized to one of three baseline conditions (two, three, or four weeks) and received three
sessions (30-45 minutes) of parent training focused on praise, reinforcement, and natural/logical
consequences. Data were analyzed using both group and single-subject (e.g., visual inspection)
methods. All families exhibited a reliable change on at least one measure of externalizing
behavior after receiving the intervention and half reported a reliable improvement in parenting
competency. In contrast, only two families exhibited a reliable improvement in parenting stress
and one reported a reliable improvement in functional impairment after the intervention. The
telehealth delivery method was consistently rated in a positive manner across baseline and
treatment phases. Taken together, the findings suggest that a brief behavioral intervention
delivered via telehealth can improve externalizing behaviors and parenting competency in the
short-term and is an acceptable service delivery method for families. The format of the
intervention may improve its accessibility to families and has potential to be implemented in
settings such as primary care, where the majority of families seek support for childhood
behavioral problems. Limitations and future directions are discussed within the paper.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-- Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology