OVERVIEW

Six Collaborative evening Parent Training Classes were provided for parents of at-risk and behaviorally disordered children and youth to address two needs: (a) parents, schools, and community agencies needed to collaborate to most effectively change child behavior; and (b) parents of difficult-to-manage children and youth lacked sufficient information, skills and support. Parents were invited to attend weekly two-hour sessions that provided training, support, and dinner (participants were also reimbursed for transportation and baby-sitting fees). The sessions were co-facilitated by school psychologists and community mental health professionals. Follow-up in home training/ support also was offered. The school psychologist was involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of this program. Specifically, the school psychologist (a) developed the curriculum for the parent training program; (b) co-facilitated the evening parent training classes; and (c) conducted data analysis, report writing, and grant writing.

On the first and last night of classes, parents rated, on a Likert-type scale; (a) their perceptions of their children’s behavior; (b) their knowledge of strategies to change behavior; (c) the effectiveness of the strategies; and (d) their opinion of the program components. Comparing the pre- and post intervention questionnaires, the average scores on all of the questions showed positive change. Increases were reported in knowledge of behavior change strategies and effectiveness in managing children’s behavior. On the post-intervention questionnaire parents continued to rate their children’s behavior as a serious problem, with some decrease of severity. Parents reported that they would attend a follow-up series of meetings and would recommend the classes to a friend. The co-facilitators completed a qualitative questionnaire at the end of the classes. The results indicate that they (a) found the materials to be basic enough to generalize to most parents; and (b) felt that most of the parents benefited from the curriculum materials and support from the other parents and co-facilitators. All had positive comments regarding the experience and were interested in co-facilitating the classes in the future.

AGENCY TYPE: Public school

POPULATION:  100% Caucasian

FORMAT

	Large group
	Non-classroom based
	Home-based

COMPONENTS

	Staff training
	Ongoing consultation with program staff
	Access additional resources (e.g., funding staff)

REFERRAL SOURCES

	Self
	Teacher
	Multidisciplinary team
	Mental Health Support Staff (Psychologist, Counselor, Social Worker)
	Outside agency
	Administrators

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY

	Behavioral checklists
	Interviews

CRITERIA FOR TERMINATION

Complete specified program

GENERALIZATION PROCEDURES

	Teaching self-monitoring or verbal mediators
	Parent training
	Implementation by multiple facilitators/educators
	Booster or follow-up sessions

DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

	Self-report
	Rating scales

OUTCOMES THAT ARE EVALUATED

	Knowledge
	Attitudes/beliefs
	Target behaviors (parent techniques)
	Specific problems behaviors
	Reduction in risky behavior (rule-breaking)
	Generalization of program effects to other settings

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST’S PROGRAM INVOLVEMENT
(How does the school psychologist allocate his/her program time?)

	Program design/planning 15%
	Program implementation 75%
	Program evaluation 10%

ECOLOGICAL-COLLABORATIVE MODEL (Program Participants)

	School Psychologist
	School Administrator

PROGRAM EVALUATION

	Program acceptability
	Program integrity
	Program efficacy (outcome)

LEVELS OF SERVICE PROVISION

	Level I. Prevention
	Level II. Risk reduction
	Level III.Early intervention
	Level IV. Treatment