The Investigation of Digital Parental Training Prototype Technology －an Example on Parents of Children with ADHD

• Main Authors: Ching-I Chen, 陳靜怡
• Other Authors: 高淑貞
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/16354442464877672597

博士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 輔導與諮商學系所 === 100 === The purpose of this study is to construct a digital parental training prototype technology and investigate its applicability in a clinic setting on children with attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) behavior at the elementary school level. The prototype technology relies on observed behavioral assessment and behavioral theory. The test design involves searching problem behaviors, providing care-givers with appropriate strategies of working with children with problems, and then evaluating the care-givers on how they use the strategies on these children with ADHD. The outline of the challenges met during this study as presented in this report is summarized separately below in two parts: that of gaining experience in constructing this prototype technology and that of operating it to obtain acceptable data. The discussion of the entire study is provided in three parts: the content of data-bases at this prototype technology, analysis of participants’ operational behaviors, and follow-up interview analysis. First, the procedures and data-bases on construction of the digital parental training prototype technology are presented. The procedure of the parental training prototype technology is a five-stage process as follows: the technology requires a user to clarify the event and related situation first. Then, based on the event, the technology provides the user with five behavioral factors to assess a child’s performance. At the third stage, the technology presents appropriate list of symptoms from which to select. At the fourth stage, the technology presents appropriate list of strategies from which to select. Finally, the user chooses useful strategies and applies those strategies on children with ADHD. In the second part, the operational experiences and follow-up interview analysis of feedback about using the digital parental training prototype technology is discussed. Seven clinical psychologists were invited to test and, indeed, tested this parental training prototype technology over a period of 4.57 weeks on average. During the testing period, 44 trials with 32 subjects were performed. All participators were interviewed at the end of this study. The following are the findings: 1. Under the clear behavioral theory structure, the digital parental training prototype technology provides a set of behavior-strategy checking procedure, with a variety of problem behaviors and training strategies. This technology includes the problem description, the observed behaviors, the symptom clarification, and the useful strategies. Thus, this technology increases the professional knowledge and is good for new-learner. 2. Taking advantage of the digital information system, the digital parental training prototype technology is easy to use, able to assess problems and supports useful strategies in a very short time. When constructed with expert system in mind, this technology can take advantage of the stableness and quickness of the computer function to support personal problem-strategy checking system. 3. Although the capabilities of the digital parental training prototype technology can be applied on children with ADHD at the elementary school, the lack of ADHD combination symptoms and solutions of associated problem behaviors limits these capabilities. Even though some participants state that the digital parental training prototype technology do support a set of behavior-strategy checking procedure and the concept of behavioral treatment, and they find it easier to apply on children with ADHD at the elementary school, additional shortcomings exists. This technology only focuses on behavioral patterns and dose without taking a variety of different observed factors and related strategies into account. In this regards, if this technology is to be used in a population of non-typical ADHD children, the user needs to be aware of the different points of view of the problem and the probable necessity of additional treatments and considerations. 4. The digital parental training prototype technology can be used during an intake session to provide a personal parental training plan to deal with the child’s problem. Some participators state that one of advantages of this technology includes the ability to clarify a problem and give useful strategies within one hour. One other advantage of this technology includes a variety data base of treatment and parental training strategies. Thus, based on parental opinions and benefits, this technology helps the clinical psychologist and the care-giver to identify child’s problem and to select a personal and useful strategy easily and quickly. 5. The digital parental training prototype technology can reduce the child’s behavior problem at the very first level, but it is not able to become an automatic parental training technology in its current design form. The result of this study does not suggest that parents use it by themselves. Parents still need a professional individual to help them in using this technology. Some participants believe that this technology can help upgrade the parental ability, clarify the child’s problem behavior, let parents learning how to get along with their child, and deal with the child’s problem behavior at the first level. However, the content of operation, the explanation and description of symptoms and strategies are too difficult to understand and translate into the daily life of a child. During the testing period, participators need to help parents or care-givers choose correct items and come up an appropriate strategy. In addition, combined with professional explanation, description and role play of strategies, parents are able to understand and implement the strategy at home. 6. Due to the imbalance in the number of comparison within symptoms and strategies data base, the option of participants’ selecting the appropriate item is affected. Under the 9 code difficult types, there are 2.9 symptoms when compared to one strategy in average. However, there are more items on attention difficulty and emotional disturbance in the symptom data base, and less attention increase and action stableness in the strategy data base. The imbalance between the two data bases decreases the appropriate comparison analysis and causes the imbalance of the structure on this technology. It is suggested that more strategy data base be added among the 9 code difficult types in order to balance the comparison and to increase the stableness of the structure on this technology.