Abstract
Project SafeCare was a 4-year, in-home, research and intervention program that provided parent training to families of children at-risk for maltreatment, and families of children who were victims of maltreatment. Parents were trained in treating children's illnesses and maximizing their own health-care skills (Health), positive and effective parent–child interaction skills (Parenting), and maintaining low hazard homes (Safety). The effectiveness of these training components was evaluated as the change in the parents' scores on roleplay situations for child health problems, hazards present in the home, and the frequency and quality of parent–child interactions during activities of daily living. Statistically significant improvements were seen in child health care, home safety, and parent–child interactions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ammerman, R. T. (1998). Methodological issues in child maltreatment research. In Lutzker, J. R. (ed.), Handbook of Child Abuse Research and Treatment, Plenum, New York, pp. 117–132.
Azar, S. T. (1989). Training parents of abused children. In Schaefer, C. E., and Briesmeister, J. M. (Eds.), Handbook of Parent Training, Wiley, New York, pp. 414–441.
Azar, S. T., Povilaitis, Y., Lauretti, A. F., and Pouquette, C. L. (1998). The current status of etiological theories in intrafamilial childmal treatment. In Lutzker, J. R. (ed.), Handbook of Child Abuse Research and Treatment, Wiley, New York, pp. 3–30.
Belsky, J. (1984). The determinants of parenting: A process model. Child Dev. 55: 83–96.
Bigelow, K. M., and Lutzker, J. R. (2000). Training parents reported for or at risk for child abuse and neglect to identify and treat their children's illnesses. J. Fam. Violence 15: 311–330.
Blythe, B. J., Patterson, Salley, M., and Jayaratne, S. (1994). A review of intensive family preservation services research. Soc. Work Res. 18: 213–224.
Campbell, R. V., O'Brein, S., Bickett, A. D., and Lutzker, J. R. (1983). In-home parent training, treatment of migraine headaches, and marital counseling as an ecobehavioral approach to prevent child abuse. J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry 14: 147–154.
Cohn, A. H., and Daro, D. (1987). Is treatment too late: What ten years of evaluative research tell us. Child Abuse Negl. 11: 433–442.
Delgado, L. E., and Lutzker, J. R. (1988). Training young parents to identify and report their children's illnesses. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 21: 311–319.
Dore, M. M., and Lee, J. M. (1999). The role of parent training with abusive and neglectful families. Fam. Relat.; Interdiscip. J. Appl. Fam. Stud. 48: 313–325.
Greene, B. F., and Kilili, S. (1998). How good does a parent have to be? In Lutzker, J. R. (ed.), Handbook of Child Abuse Research and Treatment, Plenum, New York, pp. 53–72.
Hansen, D. J., and Warner, J. E. (1992). Child physical abuse and neglect. In Ammerman, R. T., and Hersen, M. (Eds.), Assessment of Family Violence: A Clinical and Legal Sourcebook, Wiley, New York, pp. 123–147.
Hansen, D. J., and Warner, J. E. (1994). Treatment adherence of maltreating families: A survey of professionals regarding prevalence and enhancement strategies. J. Fam. Violence 9: 1–19.
Hansen, D. J., Warner-Rogers, J. E., and Hecht, D. B. (1998). Implementing and evaluating an individualized behavioral intervention program for maltreating families: Clinical and research issues. In Lutzker, J. R. (ed.), Handbook of child abuse research and treatment, Plenum, New York, pp. 133–158.
Hays, W. L. (1994). Statistics, 5th edn., Harcourt Brace, New York.
Henggeler, S. W., Melton, G. B., and Smith, L. A. (1992). Family preservation using multisystemic therapy: An effective alternative to incarcerating serious juvenile offenders. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 60: 953–961.
Kolko, D. J. (1996). Individual cognitive behavioral treatment and family therapy for physically abused children and their offending parents: A comparison of clinical outcomes. Child Maltreat. 1: 322–342.
Kolko, D. J. (1998). Treatment and intervention for child victims of violence. In Trickett, P. K., & Schellenback, C. J. (Eds.), Violence Against Children in the Family and the Community, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, pp. 213–250.
Lutzker, J. R. (1984). Project 12-Ways: Treating child abuse and neglect from an ecobehavioral perspective. In Dangel, R. F., and Polster, R. A. (Eds.), Parent Training: Foundations of Research and Practice, Guilford, New York, pp. 260–291.
Lutzker, J. R. (1994). Project 12-Ways: Treating child abuse and neglect from an ecobehavioral perspective. In Dangel, R. F., & Polster, R. A. (Eds.), Parent Training: Foundations of Research and Practice, Guilford, New York, pp. 260–297.
Lutzker, J. R. (ed.), (1998). Handbook of Child Abuse Research and Treatment, Plenum, New York.
Lutzker, J. R., Huynen, K. B., and Bigelow, K. M. (1998). Parent training. In Van Hasselt, V. B., and Hersen, M. (Eds.), Handbook of Psychological Treatment Protocols for Children and Adolescents, Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ.
Lutzker, J. R., and Rice, J. M. (1984). Project 12-Ways: Measuring outcome of a large-scale in-home service for the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse Negl. 8: 519–524.
Lutzker, J. R., and Rice, J. M. (1987). Using recidivism data to evaluate Project 12-Ways: An ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. J. Fam. Violence 2: 283–290.
Lutzker, J. R., Tymchuk, A. J., and Bigelow, K. M. (2001). Applied research in child maltreatment: Practicalities and pitfalls. Child. Serv.: Soc. Policy, Res. Pract., 4: 141–156.
Lutzker, J. R., Van Hasselt, V. B., Bigelow, K. M., Greene, B. F., and Kessler, M. L. (1998). Child abuse and neglect: Behavioral research, treatment, and theory. Aggression Violent Behav. 3: 181–196.
Lutzker, J. R., Wesch, D., and Rice, J. M. (1984). A review of Project12-Ways: An ecobehavioral approach to the treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Adv. Behav. Res. Ther. 6: 63–73. Indexed in the Inventory of Marriage and Family Literature, Vol. XI, Family Resource Center, 1985.
Mandel, U., Bigelow, K. M., and Lutzker, J. R. (1998). Using video to reduce home safety hazards with parents reported for child abuse and neglect. J. Fam. Violence, 13: 147–162.
Sanders, M. R., and Dadds, M. R. (1982). The effects of planned activities and child management procedures in parent training: An analysis of setting generality. Behav. Ther. 13: 452–461.
Sarber, R. E., Halasz, M. M., Messmer, M. C., Bickett, A. D., & Lutzker, J. R. (1983). Teaching menu planning and grocery shopping skills to a mentally retarded mother. Ment. Retard. 21: 101–106.
Schellenbach, C. J. (1998). Child maltreatment: A critical review of research on treatment for physically abusive parents. In Trickett, P. K., and Schellenback, C. J. (Eds.), Violence Against Children in the Family and the Community, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, pp. 252–268.
Sedlack, A. J., and Broadhurst, D. D. (1996). The Third National Incidence Study: Final report. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Starr, R. H., Jr. (1990). The need for child maltreatment research and program evaluation. J. Fam. Violence 5: 311–319.
Taban, N., and Lutzker, J. R. (2001). Consumer evaluation of an ecobehavioral program for prevention and intervention of child maltreatment. J. Fam. Violence., 16: 323–330.
Tertinger, D. A., Greene, B. F., and Lutzker, J. R. (1984). Home safety: Development and validation of one component of an ecobehavioral treatment program for abused and neglected children. J. Appl. Behav. Anal. 17: 159–174.
Tertinger, D. A., Greene, B. F., and Lutzker, J. R. (1988). Home accident prevention inventory. In Hersen, M., and Bellack, A. S. (Eds.), Dictionary of Behavioral Assessment Techniques, Pergamon, New York, pp. 246–248.
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (1999). Child Maltreatment 1997: Reports from the states to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.
Wolfe, D. A. (1988). Child abuse and neglect. In Mash, E. J., and Terdal, L. G. (Eds.), Behavioral Assessment of Childhood Disorders, 2nd edn., Guilford, New York, pp. 627–669.
Wolfe, D. A. (1992). The role of intervention and treatment services in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Background paper for the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, July 30, 1992.
Wolfe, D. A., and Wekerle, C. (1993). Treatment strategies for child physical abuse and neglect: A critical progress report. Clin. Psychol. Rev. 13: 473–500.
Wolfson, A., Lacks, P., and Futterman, A. (1992). Effects of parent training on infant sleeping patterns, parents' stress, and perceived parental competence. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 60: 41–48.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gershater-Molko, R.M., Lutzker, J.R. & Wesch, D. Project SafeCare: Improving Health, Safety, and Parenting Skills in Families Reported for, and At-Risk for Child Maltreatment. Journal of Family Violence 18, 377–386 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026219920902
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026219920902