Elsevier

Behavior Therapy

Volume 46, Issue 6, November 2015, Pages 749-763
Behavior Therapy

Enhancing Father Engagement and Interparental Teamwork in an Evidence-Based Parenting Intervention: A Randomized-Controlled Trial of Outcomes and Processes

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2015.05.008Get rights and content

Highlights

  • RCT for fathers and mothers of children with conduct problems

  • Intervention, Group Triple P, was adapted to enhance father engagement, teamwork

  • Intervention produced larger improvements in child and parent behavior than control

  • Intervention effects were demonstrated for fathers separately from mothers

  • Fathers and mothers demonstrated shared and unique contributions to group process

Abstract

This study examined the outcomes and process in a positive parenting program adapted to enhance father engagement and teamwork. A randomized control trial of the Group Triple P Program with additional father-relevant content was conducted with 42 families of children with conduct problems aged between 3 to 8 years. Families were allocated to either the intervention or waitlist condition. Assessments of child behavior, self- and partner-reported parenting, and the interparental relationship were conducted at T1 (pre), T2 (post), and T3 (6-month follow-up). Observations were used to examine fathers’ and mothers’ unique and shared contributions to group process during participation in parenting group sessions.

Following program completion (T2) intervention group fathers and mothers reported significantly fewer child behavior problems, dysfunctional parenting practices, and interparental conflict about child-rearing than waitlist parents. Intervention group mothers also reported increased parenting confidence and rated their partners as showing significantly fewer dysfunctional parenting practices. Intervention effects were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Observational data showed that fathers and mothers made similar contributions during the group sessions. The most frequent types of contributions were asking questions and sharing information with other parents about implementing parenting strategies. The key differences between parents were fathers' more frequent use of humor and mothers' more frequent sharing of personal stories and reporting co-parenting cooperation. The levels of session attendance and program satisfaction were high for both fathers and mothers. Findings highlight the potential benefits of efforts to engage both fathers and mothers for program adherence, satisfaction, and effectiveness.

Section snippets

Participants

Participants in the randomized-controlled trial were 42 mothers and 42 fathers recruited from the Auckland (New Zealand) urban area, with a child aged 3 to 8 years. The majority (93%) were the child’s biological father (age M = 39.87, SD = 5.95 years) and mother (age M = 37.82, SD = 5.29 years), with the remainder comprised of step-families (n = 2) or adoptive parents (n = 1). The children were 69% male (n = 29) with a mean age of 5.55 years (SD = 1.89) and were predominantly of New Zealand European descent (81%),

Statistical analysis

A series of ANCOVAs were used to examine differences between the intervention and control conditions at post-intervention using the pre-intervention scores on each measure as covariates. ANCOVAs were also used to analyze the between-condition effects at 6-month follow-up using the pre-intervention scores as covariates. Effect sizes were standardized differences, calculated by subtracting the pre- to post-intervention change in the control group from the pre- to post-intervention change in the

Discussion

This study examined the effectiveness of the Group Triple P Program that incorporated additional father-relevant content for fathers and mothers of children aged 3 to 8 years with elevated levels of conduct problems. As hypothesized, there were significant short-term intervention effects on father- and mother-reported child behavior, interparental conflict about child-rearing, dysfunctional parenting practices, and mothers’ parenting confidence. Improvements in father-reported parenting

Conflict of Interest Statement

The Triple P-Positive Parenting Program is owned by the University of Queensland (UQ). The University through its main technology transfer company UniQuest Pty Limited has licensed Triple P International Pty Ltd to disseminate the program worldwide. Royalties stemming from this dissemination activity are distributed to the Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, UQ; Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences at UQ; and contributory authors. No author has any share or

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    Funding assistance was provided by the Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust and the University of Auckland for the conduct of the research. Neither funding source had involvement in any aspects of the study or publication of the results.

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