Abstract
The Vanderbilt Caregiver Empowerment Project evaluated a training program designed to enhance empowerment of caregiver and their subsequent involvement in the mental health treatment of their children. The intervention utilized a multi-component parent training curriculum that was designed to enhance: (a) knowledge of the service system; (b) skills needed to interact with the mental health system; and (c) the caregiver' s mental health services self-efficacy designed to improve caregivers beliefs in their ability to collaborate with service providers. The resulting increased empowerment was hypothesized to increase caretaker involvement, which should affect service use and ultimately the mental health status of the child. A randomized design was used to test the effectiveness of this model with caregivers of children receiving mental health services. The results one-year after the training replicated the intermediate outcomes of the project conducted 3-months after the training. The initial training continued to significantly influence the parent's knowledge and mental health services self-efficacy. However, the intervention had no effect on caregiver involvement in treatment, service use or the mental health status of the children.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Achenbach, T. M. (1991). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and 1991 profile. Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191-215.
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of through and action. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A., Adams, N. E., & Beyer, J. (1977). Cognitive processes mediating behavioral change. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35, 125-139.
Bernheim, K. F. (1989). Psychologists and families of the severely mentally ill: The role of family consultation. American Psychologist, 44, 561-564.
Bickman, L. (1987). The functions of program theory. New Directions for Program Evaluation, 33, 5-18.
Bickman, L. (1996). A managed continuum of care: More is not always better. American Psychologist, 51, 689-701.
Bickman, L. (1997). Resolving issues raised by the Fort Bragg evaluation: New directions for mental health services research. American Psychologist, 52, 562-565.
Bickman, L., Earl, E., & Klindworth, L. (1991). Vanderbilt Mental Health Service Self-efficacy Questionnaire. Nashville: Vanderbilt University.
Bickman, L., Guthrie, P. R., Foster, E. M., Lambert, E. W., Summerfelt, W. T., Breda, C., & Heflinger, C. (1995). Evaluating Managed Mental Health Services: The Fort Bragg Experiment. New York: Plenum Publishing.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and human design. Cambridge: Harvard Press.
Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., & Deal, A. G. (1988). Enabling and empowering families: Principles and guidelines for practice. Cambridge: Brookline Books.
Friedman, R. M., & Burns, B. J. (1996). The evaluation of the Fort Bragg Demonstration Project: An alternative interpretation of the findings. The Journal of Mental Health Administration, 23, 128-136.
Friedman, R. M., Duchnowski, A. J., & Henderson, E. L. (1989). Advocacy on behalf of children with serious emotional problems. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.
Friesen, B. J. (1989). Parents as advocates for children and adolescents with serious emotional handicaps: Issues and directions. In R. M. Friedman, A. J. Duchnowski, & E. L. Henderson (Eds.), Advocacy on behalf of children with serious emotional problems (pp. 68-78). Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.
Grubb, C. (1992). Mental Health Services Knowledge Questionnaire. Nashville: Vanderbilt University.
Gutierrez, L., & Ortega, R. (1991). Developing methods to empower Latinos: The importance of groups. Social Work with Groups, 14, 23-43.
Heflinger, C. A. (1996). Implementing a System of Care: Findings from the Fort Bragg Evaluation Project. The Journal of Mental Health Administration, 23, 16-29.
Heflinger, C. A., Anderson, J., Digby, J., Grubb, C., & Williams, C. (1994, revised). Vanderbilt Family Empowerment Project: Family Group Curriculum Manual. Nashville: Vanderbilt Center for Mental Health Policy.
Heflinger, C. A., & Bickman, L. B. (1996). Family empowerment: A conceptual model for promoting parent-professional partnership. In C. A. Heflinger & C. Nixon (Eds.). Families and mental health services for children and adolescents (pp. 96-116). Newbury Park: Sage Publications.
Heflinger, C. A., Bickman, L., Northrup, D., & Sonnichsen, S. (1997). A theory-driven intervention and evaluation to explore family empowerment. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 5, 184-191.
Hobbs, N., Dokecki, P. R., Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., Moroney, R. M., Shayne, M. W., & Weeks, K. H. (1984). Strengthening families. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Hunter, R. W., & Friesen, B. J. (1996). Family-centered services for children with emotional, behavioral, or mental disorders. In C. A. Heflinger & C. Nixon (Eds.), Families and mental health services for children and adolescents (pp. 18-40). Newbury Park: Sage Publications.
Joreskog, K. J, & Sorbom, D. (1993). LISREL 8. Chicago, Ill: Scientific Software.
Kelker, K. A. (1987). Working together: The parent-professional partnership. Portland: Families as Allies Project, Research and Training Center to Improve Services for Seriously Emotionally Handicapped Children and Their Families.
Koren, P. E., DeChillo, N., & Friesen, B. J. (1992). Measuring empowerment in families whose children have emotional disabilities: A brief questionnaire. Rehabilitation Psychology, 37, 305-321.
Lefley, H. P. (1989). Family burden and family stigma in major mental illness. American Psychologist, 44, 556-560.
Munger, R. L. (1991). Child mental health practice from the ecological perspective. Lanham: University Press of America.
Northrup, D. A., Bickman, L., & Heflinger, C. A. (1995). The Mental Health Services Self-efficacy Questionnaire: Psychometric properties. Nashville: Vanderbilt Center for Mental Health Policy.
Rathus, S. A. (1973). A 30-item schedule for assessing assertive behavior. Behavior Therapy, 4, 398-406.
Salzer, M. S., Lambert, E. W., & Bickman, L. (1998). Dose effect relationship in children's outpatient services. Submitted for publication.
Schweitzer, T. B., & Hankins, B. J. (1990). Developing Families as Allies: Participant Manual. Jackson: State of Mississippi Department of Mental Health.
Sonnichsen, S. E. (1994). Factors related to parental participation in children's mental health services: Exploratory analysis of the status of parents and families. Unpublished Master of Science in Psychology, Nashville: Vanderbilt University.
Vosler-Hunter, R. W. (1989). Changing roles, changing relationships: Parent-professional collaboration on behalf of children with emotional disabilities. Portland: Families as Allies Project, Research and Training Center to Improve Services for Seriously Emotionally Handicapped Children and Their Families.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bickman, L., Heflinger, C.A., Northrup, D. et al. Long Term Outcomes to Family Caregiver Empowerment. Journal of Child and Family Studies 7, 269–282 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022937327049
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022937327049