An evaluation of a brief universal seminar series on positive parenting: a feasibility study
| Date | 17 September 2009 |
| Published date | 17 September 2009 |
| Pages | 4-20 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17466660200900002 |
| Author | Matthew Sanders,Justine Prior,Alan Ralph |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care,Sociology |
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Abstract
This study examined the impact of a brief seminar series on positive parenting (Selected Triple
P) on behavioural and emotional problems in pre-adolescent children and on inter-parental
conflict, parenting style, relationship quality, parental adjustment and parental confidence.
Two hundred and forty-four parents with children aged four to seven years were assigned
to one of three conditions: (a) partial exposure condition involving attendance at a single
introductory seminar; (b) full exposure (attendance at all three seminars); or (c) a waitlist
control group. Analyses were completed for the 109 participants for whom full data were
obtained. There was a significant reduction in parental reports of problem child behaviour and
dysfunctional parenting styles with the introductory seminar alone. However, exposure to all
three seminars was associated with significant improvements in all dysfunctional parenting
styles and in the level of inter-parental conflict. There were no significant differences between
conditions at post-intervention on parental reports of depression, anxiety, stress, relationship
quality or parental confidence. This study provides preliminary support for the efficacy of a
brief universal parenting intervention in improving child behaviour and parenting variables
associated with the development and maintenance of child conduct problems. The findings
also offer preliminary support for the notion that positive outcomes for both parents and
children can be achieved through the delivery of brief preventive parenting interventions that
require minimal time commitments from parents.
Key words
parenting; brief universal intervention; Triple P; child conduct problems
relatively few parents participate in parenting
programmes (Sanders et al, 2007). This trend is
concerning as children with serious behavioural
difficulties are at greater risk of learning difficulties,
Introduction
Epidemiological data shows that although large
numbers of parents report having behavioural and
emotional problems with their children (30%),
An evaluation of a brief
universal seminar series
on positive parenting:
a feasibility study
Matthew R Sanders
Justine Prior
Alan Ralph
The University of Queensland, Australia
*OURNALOF #HILDRENS 3ERVICESs 6OLUME )SSUE s3EPT EMBER ¥0IER0ROF ESSIONAL,TD 5
An evaluation of a brief universal seminar series on positive parenting: a feasibility study
school behaviour problems, poor peer relations,
unemployment, parent and sibling abuse and
psychiatric disorders in adulthood (Robins & Price,
1991; Tremblay et al, 1992; Zubrick et al, 1995).
In an effort to improve the reach of parenting
programmes, Sanders and colleagues at the
University of Queensland developed a multilevel
parenting and family support system called the
Triple P Positive Parenting Programme (Sanders,
2008). Based on a social learning approach to family
intervention, the Triple P system aims to prevent
behavioural, emotional and developmental problems
in children by enhancing parenting competence.
The rationale for this tiered strategy is that children
have differing levels of dysfunction and behavioural
disturbance, and parents also have differing
preferences regarding the type, intensity and mode
of assistance they require. Triple P incorporates
five different levels of intervention intensity, tailored
to the differing levels of support parents required
(Sanders et al, 2002).
Level 1 is a universal parent information strategy
achieved through a co-ordinated promotional
campaign using mass media (eg. newspapers, radio)
as well as user-friendly parenting tip sheets and
videotapes that demonstrate specific parenting
strategies. Level 2, Selected Triple P, is a brief,
one- to two-session intervention providing early
anticipatory developmental guidance to parents
of children with mild behaviour difficulties or
developmental issues. Level 3 targets children
with mild to moderate behaviour difficulties and
includes active skills training for parents. Level 4 is an
intensive eight- to ten-session individual, group or
self-directed parent training programme for children
with more severe behavioural difficulties. Level
5 is an enhanced behavioural family intervention
programme for families where child behaviour
problems persist or where parenting difficulties are
complicated by other sources of family distress (eg.
marital conflict, parental depression or high stress).
There is a substantial evidence base supporting
the efficacy of the Triple P system of intervention.
Four different meta-analyses have confirmed
that children and parents demonstrate significant
improvements in child behaviour and parenting
practices after participating in the intervention
(Thomas & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2007; de Graaf
et al, 2008a, 2008b; Nowak & Heinrichs, 2008),
and Triple P is currently in use across 17 countries
worldwide, with several trials documenting its
beneficial effects with culturally and linguistically
diverse parents, including indigenous parents
(Turner et al, 2007), Chinese parents (eg. Leung
et al, 2003; Matsumoto et al, 2007) and African–
American parents and service providers (Prinz et al,
2009).
Despite the substantial evidence supporting the
effectiveness of Triple P as an intensive group and
individually administered parenting programme,
there is a relative lack of evidence supporting the
effectiveness of the Level 2, Selected Triple P
delivery format. Selected Triple P was developed
as a brief, large group programme that would
provide a ‘light touch’ intervention for all parents.
It comprises three 90-minute seminars. Each
seminar can be delivered either as a stand-alone
intervention, whereby parents participate in only
that one seminar (without necessarily undertaking
anymore than one seminar), or as part of an
integrated series, whereby parents undertake all
three seminars across a period of several weeks
(Sanders & Turner, 2003). The seminars target
parents of children aged 0–12 years and are
designed as an introduction to the principles of
positive parenting, aiming to promote positive
parenting practices, assist parents to develop
effective disciplinary methods and help create
environments conducive to caring relationships
between parents and their children. The content
of the seminar series draws on the theoretical
principles that form the basis of existing Triple P
interventions.
Seminar one, The Power of Positive Parenting,
provides the building blocks for the programme.
This seminar introduces parents to the five core
principles of positive parenting.
1. Ensuring a safe, interesting environment.
2. Creating a positive learning environment.
3. Using assertive discipline.
4. Having realistic expectations.
5. Taking care of oneself as a parent.
Seminar two, Confident, Competent Children, and
Seminar three, Resilient Children, build on these
foundations by illustrating to parents the application
of positive parenting principles in teaching children
social skills and also how to cope with their
emotions, including stress and anxiety. Ideally, the
introductory seminar should be taken first, prior to
seminars two and three.
Although there is no published empirical
research that has directly examined the efficacy
of brief, large group, universally-administered
parenting programmes, there are two large-scale
population trials of Triple P that incorporated the
brief seminar format and provided encouraging
results. The first of these was the Every Family trial
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