Stepping Stones Triple P: A pilot study to evaluate acceptability of the program by parents of a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

The experience of parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in standard parenting programs has not been researched, although anecdotal evidence suggests that they do not find them acceptable. Forty-two parents of children with ASD were asked to view a DVD explaining individual parenting strategies from Stepping Stones, a new branch of the Triple P program targeted specifically at parents of children with disabilities. Parents were asked to rate each strategy for acceptability, usability and behavioural intention, i.e., their intention to use the strategy. Additionally, parental attributions and parental perceived control were explored as possible barriers to positive evaluations of Stepping Stones parenting strategies. A focus group of parents was used to gather more detailed parent response to the program. Parent responses to the program were generally positive and attribution of the child's behaviour to uncontrollable factors was found to predict higher ratings of usability. The results were interpreted within the context of Weiner's attributional theory and the theory of reasoned action. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are parent-reported outcomes for self-directed or telephone-assisted behavioral family intervention enhanced if parents are observed?

The study examined the effects of conducting observations as part of a broader assessment of families participating in behavior family intervention (BFI). It was designed to investigate whether the observations improve intervention outcomes. Families were randomly assigned to different levels of BFI or a waitlist control condition and subsequently randomly assigned to either observation or no-observation conditions. This study demonstrated significant intervention and observation effects. Mothers in more intensive BFI reported more improvement in their child’s behavior and their own parenting. Observed mothers reported lower intensity of child behavior problems and more effective parenting styles. There was also a trend for less anger among mothers who were observed and evidence of an observation-intervention interaction for parental anger, with observed mothers in more intensive intervention reporting less anger compared to those not observed. Implications for clinical and research intervention contexts are discussed.

Early intervention for children and their parents following paediatric accidental injury

This study was undertaken to develop and evaluate the efficacy of an early intervention for children who had been injured in an accident. The aim of the intervention was to prevent the development of longterm psychological consequences. Brochures were developed for children, adolescents, and their parents. These brochures detailed common responses to trauma (and normalized such responses), and suggestions for minimizing any post-trauma distress. Participants were children aged 7-15 admitted to hospital for traumatic injury. The intervention was delivered to one of two hospitals, within 72 hours of the trauma. 103 children and parents participated in the study. The parents and children completed structured interviews and questionnaires 2 weeks, 4-6 weeks and 6 months post-trauma. Outcome analyses also indicated that the intervention reduced parental distress at 4-6 weeks post-trauma. The intervention did not impact significantly on child adjustment over this time period. Results of the 6 month follow-up suggested that the intervention resulted in an amelioration of child anxiety from one to six months post-trauma, whereas the controls exhibited an increase in anxiety over this time period. Overall, it was concluded that the early intervention is a simple, practical, and cost-effective method of reducing child and parent distress post-trauma.

Rhythms of life:antecedents and outcomes of work-family balance among employed parents

This study examined antecedents and outcomes of a fourfold taxonomy of work-family balance in terms of the direction of influence (work-family vs. family-work) and type of effect (conflict vs. facilitation). Respondents were full-time employed parents in India. Confirmatory factor analysis results provided evidence for the discriminant validity of M. R. Frone's (2003) fourfold taxonomy of work-family balance. Results of moderated regression analysis revealed that different processes underlie the conflict and facilitation components. Furthermore, gender had only a limited moderating influence on the relationships between the antecedents and the components of work-family balance. Last, work-family facilitation was related to the work outcomes of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Medical treatment contrary to parents wishes: the illusion of parental autonomy

The NHS Trust v A (a child) & Ors [2007] EWHC 169