Comparing two evidence-based parent training interventions for aggressive children

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-04-2014-0021
Date09 December 2014
Published date09 December 2014
Pages319-329
AuthorSturla Fossum,John Kjøbli,May Britt Drugli,Bjørn Helge Handegård,Willy-Tore Mørch,Terje Ogden
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Vulnerable groups,Children's services
Comparing two evidence-based
parent training interventions for
aggressive children
Sturla Fossum, John Kjøbli, May Britt Drugli, Bjørn Helge Handeg ˚
ard, Willy-Tore Mørch and
Terje Ogden
Dr Sturla Fossum is an
Associate Professor, based at
The Regional Centre for Child
and Youth– North, University of
Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
Dr John Kjøbli is a Researcher,
based at The Norwegian
Center for Child Behavioural
Development, University of
Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
May Britt Drugli is a Professor,
based at The Regional Centre
for Child and Youth – Mid,
The Norwegian University of
Science and Technology,
Trondheim, Norway.
Bjørn Helge Handeg ˚
ard is a
Senior Lecturer and
Willy-Tore Mørchis a Professor
in Children’s Mental Health,
both are based at The Regional
Centre for Child and Youth –
North, University of Tromsø,
Tromsø, Norway.
Professor Terje Ogden is a
Research Director, based at
The Norwegian Center for
Child Behavioural
Development, University of
Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the changes in externalising behaviour for young
aggressive children differ between two evidence-based parent training (PT) programmes after treatment.
The treatment formats between these programmes differ, and the authors were particularly interested in
whether this influenced the results for participants with co-occurring problems (child variables such as
heightened levels of attention and internalising problems, and parental variables such as marital status and
education) and the consequent additional risk of poorer treatment outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach – A comparison of the individual treatment programme Parent
Management Training – Oregon model(PMTO) and the group intervention programme The Incredible
Years(IY) basic training sessions. Outcomes were explored in matched samples from two earlier
Norwegian replication studies. The participants were matched on pre-treatment characteristics using a
quasi-experimental mis-matching procedure.
Findings – There were no significant differences between the two interventions in parent ratings of
externalising behaviours and the lack of differing effects between the two treatments remained when the
co-occurring risk factors were introduced into the analyses.
Research limitations/implications – The participants were matched on pre-treatment characteristics
using a quasi-experimental mis-matching procedure.
Practical implications – A possible implication of these findings is that parents should be allowed to
choose the treatment format of their preference. Further, individual PT may be more appropriate in rural
settings with difficulties in forming group interventions.
Social implications – Treatment effects did not differ between these two evidence-based interventions.
Originality/value – To the best of the knowledge independent comparisons of two evidence-based PT
interventions are not previously conducted.
Keywords Comparison, Aggressive children, Behavioural changes, Incredible years, Parent training,
PMTO
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Conduct problems, typically characterised by opposition, delinquency, temper tantrums and
acting-out behaviours, are of great concern due to the nature, stability and frequency of these
problems (e.g. Moffitt, 2006). Conduct problems may develop into more severe disruptive
behaviours fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct
disorder (CD) (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Approximately 10 per cent of children
with ODD suffer from lifelong problems and of these more than 90 per cent suffer from at least
one other lifetime diagnostic condition (e.g. mood disorders, anxiety disorders, impulse-control
disorders or substance-abuse disorders) (Nock et al., 2007). Due to the stability of these
problems and the burdens these problems cause for the child or adolescent, family and society
DOI 10.1108/JCS-04-2014-0021 VOL. 9 NO. 4 2014, pp. 319-329, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660
j
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
j
PAGE 319

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