None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The current study will trial the effectiveness of the new Stepping Stones Triple P Discussion Group Program. Stepping Stones Triple P has been found to result in a variety of benefits for parents of children with a disability, including improvements in positive parenting skills, parenting confidence, child relationships, reduced parental stress and child problem behaviour. As such, it is anticipated that the Discussion Group program being evaluated in this study will result in similar improvements. Results from the study are likely to improve the accessibility of the program to a wide range of parents that require brief positive parenting assistance.
Interventions
Triple P is a multi-level parenting and family support program that aims to provide parents with a range of strategies to promote parental confidence, skills and knowledge, reducing the risk of behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in children. It incorporates five tiered levels of intervention varying according to the level of intensity, practitioner contact, and delivery format; from universal, media-based programs (Level 1; Universal Triple P), brief selective intervention (Level
Triple P is a multi-level parenting and family support program that aims to provide parents with a range of strategies to promote parental confidence, skills and knowledge, reducing the risk of behavioural, emotional and developmental problems in children. It incorporates five tiered levels of intervention varying according to the level of intensity, practitioner contact, and delivery format; from universal, media-based programs (Level 1; Universal Triple P), brief selective intervention (Level 2; Selected Triple P), narrow focused parent training (Level 3; Primary Care Triple P), broad focused parent training (Level 4; Standard Triple P), to intensive family intervention programs (Level 5; Enhanced Triple P). The core principles that underpin Triple P include: (a) Having a safe interesting environment; (b) having a positive learning environment; (c) using assertive discipline; (d) having realistic expectations; and (e) taking care of yourself as a parent. Within the Triple P system, Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) was developed specifically for parents of children with developmental disabilities. SSTP involves standard Triple P principles, as well as additional strategies derived from the literature for children with disabilities. Adaptations include making the strategies more sensitive to the unique challenges that families of children with disabilities face, including pertinent material related to disabilities, such as adjustment to having a child with a disability, parents’ increased care giving role, inclusion and community living, and family and friend support, as well as behaviour change procedures for commonly encountered problems (e.g., self-injurious behaviour, repetitive behaviours and pica). Strategies such as blocking, physical guidance, activity schedules, and functional communication training are also taught to parents. Triple P Discussion Group is a new Level 3 intervention, and includes specific parent discussion groups on four commonly encountered problems. The discussion groups are designed to provide an overview of the positive parenting principles inherent within Triple P, with parents being actively involved throughout the one two-hour small group discussions. This discussion group session will specifically address the issue of how to manage child disobedience. An accredited Triple P facilitator will run the session. Other parents with similar concerns about their child's disobedience will also attend. The program will use a mix of video demonstrations, discussion, practice and home based activities. The program is free and parents will also receive a free Stepping Stones Triple P - A Guide to Disruptive Behaviour booklet. Specific topic of discussion will include: *Common forms of disobedience *Identifying parenting traps *Reasons why children are disobedient *How to prevent disobedience *How to teach children to follow instructions *Setting management plans One telephone consultation with a Triple P accredited practitioner will be added to the session in order to enhance parental problem solving, self-regulation and parenting skills. This telephone session will take at least 10 minutes, but not more than 30 minutes, and will take place four weeks after the session. A randomised controlled trial design will be used to evaluate the effects of participation in the discussion group intervention, in comparison with a wait list control group.
Sponsors
School of Psychology and Speech Pathology. Curtin University.
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Other
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
16 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Parents has a child between the ages of 3 and 8 years of age. Parents have a child with a diagnosed disability, including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, or intellectual disability. Parents who report that their child is displaying problem behaviour, including disobedience. Parents who also report difficulties in managing this behaviour and are wanting to attend a parent group to learn new parenting skills.
Exclusion criteria
Parent who is currently seeing a professional for their child's behavioural difficulties or if they have attended a Triple P parenting program in the last one month (rationale: if the target child or parent is receiving support from another service, then it will be difficult to disentangle potential benefits gained from the provided intervention than from those gained from the external support). Parents with current major psychopathology, including those who meet the criteria for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and high suicidality risk. (rationale: if parents are currently experiencing high distress levels it may be difficult for them to engage successfully in the parent discussion group and achieve positive outcomes). Parents who are not able to read without assistance (rationale: the written materials and discussion-based format of the intervention is not suitable for parents who cannot read without assistance). Parents who do not meet the inclusion criteria will be provided with alternative service provider information and contact details.
Outcome results
None listed