Preventative Behavioral Parent Training: A Preliminary Investigation of Strategies for Preventing At-Risk Children from Developing Later Conduct Problems

• Main Author: Malmberg, Jessica L.
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 2011
• Subjects: behavioral parent training; conduct problems; disruptive behaviors; prevention; Psychology
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/935; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1931&context=etd

Children exhibiting conduct problems comprise the largest source of referrals to children's mental health services in this county. Significant research has been conducted in an attempt to identify specific risk factors that result in increased vulnerability of a child developing conduct problems. Knowledge of these factors increases our ability to identify young children who are at greater risk for developing conduct problems. The treatment for conduct problems that possesses the greatest amount of empirical support is behavioral parent training. Yet behavioral parent training fails to address behaviors and risk factors that are present during a child's early development. Preventative behavioral parent training is a very brief primary prevention strategy designed to prevent the development of chronic and age-inappropriate display of conduct problems. This project was an initial longitudinal assessment examining the merits of preventative behavioral parent training as a primary prevention strategy for young children at-risk of developing conduct problems. Results demonstrated that prevention participants were engaging in normative rates of noncompliance and tantruming at 6-month follow-up, whereas comparison children showed a general worsening in their disruptive behaviors over time.