Individually administered videotape parent training: “who benefits?”

Abstract

One-hundred families with young conduct problem children were randomly assigned to either an individually administered videotape modeling parent training program (IVM) or to a waiting-list control group. Results immediately posttreatment indicated that treated parents reported using significantly less physical discipline and perceived improvements in their children's behavior problems compared with untreated control parents. During home observations, treated parents exhibited significant changes in at least two of the four behavior outcome variables in their interactions with their children compared with untreated parent—child interactions. One year later, these changes were maintained and the children continued to improve. Correlational analyses indicated that, for treated families, single mother status, maternal depression, and mother's mental age were significantly correlated with at least two of the four mother outcome variables at both posttreatment assessments. A 1-year followup social class was significantly correlated with more critical mother behaviors and increased child deviance. For fathers, analyses indicated that high negative life stress and father depression was correlated with more negative father perceptions of child adjustment and increased child deviance at immediate posttreatment. At 1-year followup only father mental age was correlated with teacher perceptions of child behavior problems. The data support the general effectiveness of the IVM program but caution its use as the sole treatment with highly stressed families.