Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Surviving or Thriving: Quality Assurance Mechanisms to Promote Innovation in the Development of Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions

  • Published:
Prevention Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 11 December 2014

Abstract

Parenting interventions have the potential to make a significant impact to the prevention and treatment of major social and mental health problems of children. However, parenting interventions fail to do so because program developers pay insufficient attention to the broader ecological context that influences the adoption and implementation of evidence-based interventions. This context includes the professional and scientific community, end users, consumers, and broader sociopolitical environment within which parenting services are delivered. This paper presents an iterative stage model of quality assurance steps to guide ongoing research and development particularly those related to program innovations including theory building, intervention development, pilot testing, efficacy and effectiveness trials, program refinement, dissemination, and planning for implementation and political advocacy. The key challenges associated with each phase of the research and development process are identified. Stronger consumer participation throughout the entire process from initial program design to wider community dissemination is an important, but an often ignored part of the process. Specific quality assurance mechanisms are discussed that increase accountability, professional, and consumer confidence in an intervention and the evidence supporting its efficacy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altman, D. G., Schulz, K. F., Moher, D., Egger, M., Davidoff, F., Elbourne, D., et al. (2001). The revised CONSORT statement for reporting randomized trials: Explanation and elaboration. Annals of Internal Medicine, 134, 663–694.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aos, S., Lee, S., Drake, E., Pennuci, A., Klima, T., Miller, M., et al. (2011). Return on Investment: Evidence-based Options to Improve Statewide Outcomes (Document No. 11-07-1201). Olympia: Washington State Institute of Public Policy.

  • Axford, N., & Morpeth, L. (2013). Evidence-based programs in children’s services: A critical appraisal. Children and Youth Services Review, 35, 268–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baer, D. M., Wolf, M. M., & Risley, T. R. (1968). Some current dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Annals, 1, 91–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blueprints for Violence Prevention. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/cspv/

  • Bosch, M., Tavender, E., Bragge, P., Gruen, R., & Green, S. (2011). How to define ‘best practice’ for use in knowledge translation research: A practical, stepped and interactive process. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2753.2012.01835.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J., & McWilliam, J. (2012). An implementation framework for the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Paper presented at the 15th Helping Families Change Conference. Los Angeles: America. Retrieved from http://www.ausimplementationconference.net.au/presentations/4A-McWilliam.pdf.

  • Calam, R., Sanders, M. R., Miller, C., Sadhnani, V., & Carmont, S. A. (2008). Can technology and the media help reduce dysfunctional parenting and increase engagement with preventative parenting interventions. Child Maltreatment, 13, 347–361.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chambless, D. L., & Ollendick, T. H. (2001). Empirically supported psychological interventions: Controversies and evidence. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 685–716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosby, P. B. (1984). Quality without tears. Singapore: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dadds, M. R., Sanders, M. R., Behrens, B. C., & James, J. E. (1987). Marital discord and child behavior problems: A description of family interactions during treatment. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 16, 192–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, C., Myors, K., & Evans, E. (2003). Community-wide implementation of a parenting program: The South East Sydney Positive Parenting Project. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, 2, 179–190. doi:10.5172/jamh.2.3.179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eisner, M. (2009). No effects in independent prevention trials: Can we reject the cynical view? Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5, 163–183. doi:10.1007/s11292-009-9071-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez, M., & Eyberg, S. (2009). Predicting treatment and follow-up attrition in parent-child interaction therapy. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 431–441. doi:10.1007/s10802-008-9281-1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network (FMHI Publication #231).

  • Flay, B. R., Biglan, A., Boruch, R. F., González Castro, F., Gottfredson, D., Kellam, S., et al. (2005). Standards of evidence: Criteria for efficacy, effectiveness and dissemination. Prevention Science, 6, 151–175.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Forehand, R., & McMahon, R. J. (1981). Helping the noncompliant child: A clinician’s guide to parent training. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgatch, M. S., Patterson, G. R., & Gewirtz, A. H. (2013). Looking forward: The promise of widespread implementation of parent training programs. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8, 682–694.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, E. M., Prinz, R. J., Sanders, M. R., & Shapiro, C. J. (2008). The costs of a public health infrastructure for delivering parenting and family support. Children Youth Services Review, 30, 493–501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallart, S. C., & Matthey, S. (2005). The effectiveness of Group Triple P and the impact of the four telephone contacts. Behaviour Change, 22, 71–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glenton, C., Lewin, S., & Scheel, I. B. (2011). Still too little qualitative research to shed light on results from reviews of effectiveness trials: A case study of a Cochrane review on the use of lay health workers. Implementation Science, 6, 53. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-6-53.

  • Gurwitch, R., Fernandez, S., Pearl, E., & Chung, G. (2013). Utilizing parent-child interaction therapy to help improve the outcome of military families. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2013/01/parent-child-interaction.aspx.

  • Hanf, C. (1969). A two-stage program for modifying maternal controlling during mother-child interaction. Vancouver: Paper presented at the meeting of the Western Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchings, J., Bywater, T., Williams, M. E., & Whitaker, C. (2012). Improvements in maternal depression as a mediator of child behaviour change. Psychology, 3, 795–801. doi:10.4236/psych.2012.329120.

  • Institute of Medicine. (1994). Reducing risks for mental disorders: Frontiers for preventive intervention research. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E. (2003). Research design in clinical psychology (4th ed.). Needham: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E., & Blase, S. L. (2011). Rebooting psychotherapy research and practice to reduce the burden of mental illness. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 21–37. doi:10.1177/1745691610393527.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kazdin, A. E., & Nock, M. K. (2003). Delineating mechanisms of change in child and adolescent therapy: Methodological issues and research recommendations. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44, 1116–1129.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, J. N., & Sanders, M. R. (2014). A randomized controlled trial evaluating a parenting program designed specifically for grandparents. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 52, 35–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lieberman, A. F., & Zeanah, C. H. (1999). Contributions of attachment theory to infant–parent psychotherapy and other interventions with infants and young children. In J. Cassidy & P. R. Shaver (Eds.), Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications (pp. 555–574). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, M. (2010). Looked after children: Can existing services ever succeed? Adoption and Fostering Journal, 34, 3–7. doi:10.1177/030857591003400202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, M., Berry, V., Morpeth, L., Blower, S., Axford, N., Taylor, R., et al. (2012). The impact of three evidence-based programmes delivered in public systems in Birmingham, UK. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 6, 260–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucchelli, T. G., & Sanders, M. R. (2010). Facilitating practitioner flexibility within evidence-based practice: Lessons from a system of parenting support. Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice, 17, 238–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Metzler, C. W., Sanders, M. R., Rusby, J. C., & Crowley, R. N. (2012). Using consumer preference information to increase the reach and impact of media-based parenting interventions in a public health approach to parenting support. Behavior Therapy, 43, 257–270.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morawska, A., Haslam, D., Milne, D., & Sanders, M. R. (2011). Evaluation of a brief parenting discussion group for parents of young children. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 32, 136–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Parenting Research (NAPR) (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.parentingresearch.org.uk/Default.aspx.

  • National Implementation Research Network. (2012). Retrieved from http://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/.

  • National Institute of Health (NIH) (2013). Retrieved from http://prevention.nih.gov/phases/default.aspx.

  • National Research Council & Institute of Medicine. (2009). Preventing mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders among young people: Progress and possibilities (M. E. O’Connell, T. Boat, & K. E. Warner, Eds.). Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

  • Olds, D., Henderson, C. R., Cole, R., Eckenrode, J., Kitzman, H., Luckey, D., et al. (1998). Long-term effects of nurse home visitation on children’s criminal and antisocial behavior: Fifteen-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 14, 1238–1244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olds, D. L., Hill, P. L., O’Brien, R., Racine, D., & Mortiz, P. (2003). Taking preventive intervention to scale: The nurse-family partnership. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 10, 278–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, G. R., Reid, J. B., Jones, R. R., & Conger, R. E. (1975). A social learning theory approach to family intervention: Volume I. Families with aggressive children. Eugene: Castalia Publishing Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul, G. L. (1967). Strategy of outcome research in psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31, 109–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prinz, R. J., Sanders, M. R., Shapiro, C. J., Whitaker, D. J., & Lutzker, J. R. (2009). Population-based prevention of child maltreatment: The U.S. Triple P system population trial. Prevention Science, 10, 1–12.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rounsaville, B. J., Carroll, K. M., & Onken, L. S. (2001). A stage model of behavioral therapies research: Getting started and moving on from stage I. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 8(2), 133–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R. (2012). Development, evaluation, and multinational dissemination of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 8, 1–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., & Murphy-Brennan, M. (2010). Creating conditions for success beyond the professional training environment. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 17, 31–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., Prior, J., & Ralph, A. (2009). An evaluation of a brief universal seminar series on positive parenting: A feasibility study. Journal of Children’s Services, 4, 4–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders, M. R., Baker, S., & Turner, K. M. T. (2012). A randomized controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of Triple P Online with parents of children with early-onset conduct problems. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50, 675–684.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schrepferman, L., & Snyder, J. (2002). Coercion: The link between treatment mechanisms in behavioral parent training and risk reduction in child antisocial behavior. Behavior Therapy, 33, 339–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, C. J., Prinz, R. J., & Sanders, M. R. (2012). Facilitators and barriers to implementation of an evidence-based parenting intervention to prevent child maltreatment: The triple P-positive parenting program. Child Maltreatment, 17, 86–95. doi:10.1177/1077559511424774.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W., & Strang, H. (2009). Testing for analysts’ bias in crime prevention experiments: Can we accept Eisner’s one-tailed test? Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5, 185–200. doi:10.1007/s11292-009-9073-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shewhart, W. A. (1931). Economic control of quality of manufactured product. New York: D. Van Nostrand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spoth, E., & Redmond, C. (1993). Identifying program preferences through conjoint analysis: Illustrative results from a parent sample. American Journal of Health Promotion, 8, 124–133.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, Z., & Heikkinen, K. (2009). Models, metrics, and measurements in developmental psychology. Integral Review, 5, 4–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torre, M. E., & Fine, M. (2006). Researching and resisting: Democratic policy research by and for youth. In S. Ginwright, J. Cammarota, & P. Noguera (Eds.), Beyond resistance: Youth activism and community change: New democratic possibilities for policy and practice for America’s youth (pp. 269–285). New York: Rutledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valentine, J. C., Biglan, A., Boruch, R. F., Castro, F. G., Collins, L. M., Flay, B. R., et al. (2011). Replication in prevention science. Prevention Science, 12, 103–117. doi:10.1007/s11121-011-0217-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Webster-Stratton, C. (1998). Preventing conduct problems in Head Start children: Strengthening parenting competencies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 715–730. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.66.5.715.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weigold, M. F. (2001). Communicating science: A review of the literature. Science Communication, 23, 164–193. doi:10.1177/1075547001023002005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittingham, K., Wee, D., Sanders, M. R., & Boyd, R. (2012). Predictors of psychological adjustment, experienced parenting burden and chronic sorrow symptoms in parents of children with cerebral palsy. Child: Care Health and Development, 39, 366–373. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01396.x.

  • Whyte, W. F., Greenwood, D. J., & Lazes, P. (1989). Participatory action research: Through practice to science in social research. American Behavioral Scientist, 32, 513–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winston, F. K., & Jacobsohn, L. (2010). A practical approach for applying best practices in behavioural interventions to injury prevention. Injury Prevention, 16, 107–112. doi:10.1136/ip.2009.021972a.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Matthew R. Sanders & James N. Kirby

  2. Parenting and Family Support Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 7072, Australia

    Matthew R. Sanders

Authors
  1. Matthew R. Sanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James N. Kirby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew R. Sanders.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sanders, M.R., Kirby, J.N. Surviving or Thriving: Quality Assurance Mechanisms to Promote Innovation in the Development of Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions. Prev Sci 16, 421–431 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-014-0475-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-014-0475-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation