Enhancing outcomes of low-intensity parenting groups through sufficient exemplar training: a randomized control trial

Low-intensity parenting groups, such as the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program Discussion Groups, appear to be a cost-effective intervention for child conduct problems. Several studies evaluating a Triple P Discussion Group on disobedience found promising results for improving child and parent outcomes. However, a sufficient exemplar training approach that incorporates generalization promotion strategies may assist parents to more flexibly apply positive parenting principles to a broader range of child target behaviors and settings, leading to greater change. We compared the effects of sufficient exemplar training to an existing narrowly focused low-intensity intervention. Participants were 78 families with a 5–8 year-old child. Sufficient exemplar training resulted in more robust changes in child behavior and superior outcomes for mothers on measures of parenting behavior, parenting self-efficacy, mental health, and perceptions of partner support at post-intervention and 6-month follow-up. These results indicate that teaching sufficient exemplars may promote generalization leading to enhanced intervention outcomes

Enhancing father engagement and interparental teamwork in an evidence-based parenting intervention: a randomized-controlled trial of outcomes and processes

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

Study protocol: evaluation of a parenting and stress management programme: a randomised controlled trial of Triple P discussion groups and stress control

<br>Background: Children displaying psychosocial problems are at an increased risk of negative developmental outcomes. Parenting practices are closely linked with child development and behaviour, and parenting programmes have been recommended in the treatment of child psychosocial problems. However, parental mental health also needs to be addressed when delivering parenting programmes as it is linked with parenting practices, child outcomes, and treatment outcomes of parenting programmes. This paper describes the protocol of a study examining the effects of a combined intervention of a parenting programme and a cognitive behavioural intervention for mental health problems.</br> <br>Methods: The effects of a combined intervention of Triple P Discussion Groups and Stress Control will be examined using a randomised controlled trial design. Parents with a child aged 3?8?years will be recruited to take part in the study. After obtaining informed consent and pre-intervention measures, participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention or a waitlist condition. The two primary outcomes for this study are change in dysfunctional/ineffective parenting practices and change in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Secondary outcomes are child behaviour problems, parenting experiences, parental self-efficacy, family relationships, and positive parental mental health. Demographic information, participant satisfaction with the intervention, and treatment fidelity data will also be collected. Data will be collected at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.</br> <br>Discussion: The aim of this paper is to describe the study protocol of a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of a combined intervention of Triple P Discussion Groups and Stress Control in comparison to a waitlist condition. This study is important because it will provide evidence about the effects of this combined intervention for parents with 3?8?year old children. The results of the study could be used to inform policy about parenting support and support for parents with mental health problems. Trial registration ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT01777724, UTN: U1111-1137-1053.</br&gt

Parenting in couple relationships

Parental inconsistency and particularly harsh coercive parenting practices increase children's risk of developing serious mental health problems. This chapter introduces a conceptual framework for understanding coparenting and the factors that influence partners' relationships with each other and their parenting practices. It explores the types of coparenting interventions that can be used to positively influence the couple's relationship using a broad public health framework for providing parenting support. Contextual factors influence the type and nature of coparenting relationships. These factors include whether parents reside together, how close they are as a couple, the quality of the parents' communication with each other and individual parent and child factors such as gender and relational style. The chapter focuses on key factors of relevance to couple relationship functioning and distress as illustrated by several of the case couples. It concludes with consideration of how parenting programs provide a valuable context for addressing couple's relationship problems both in terms of prevention and treatment

Te Whānau Pou Toru: a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of a Culturally Adapted Low-Intensity Variant of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program for Indigenous Māori Families in New Zealand

Evidence-based parenting support programs (EBPS) based on social learning and cognitive behavioral principles are effective in reducing conduct-related problems in a diverse range of cultural contexts. However, much less is known about their effects with indigenous families. A Collaborative Participation Adaptation Model (CPAM) was used to culturally adapt a low-intensity, two-session group variant of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program for Māori parents of young children in New Zealand. CPAM involved collaborating closely with Māori tribal elders, practitioners as end-users, and parents as consumers through a participatory process to identify content and delivery process used in Triple P that would ensure that traditional Māori cultural values were incorporated. The culturally adapted program (Te Whānau Pou Toru) was then evaluated with 70 parents of 3-7-year-old children in a two-arm randomized clinical trial (intervention vs waitlist control). Results showed that parents in the intervention group reported significantly greater improvements in child behavior problems and reduced interparental conflict about child-rearing compared to parents in the control group at immediate post-intervention. These intervention effects were either maintained or improved further at follow-up assessment. At 6-month follow-up intervention-group parents reported significantly greater reductions in overreactive parenting practices and greater confidence in managing a range of difficult child behaviors than control parents. The culturally adapted program was associated with high levels of parental satisfaction. Findings are discussed in terms of making brief, effective, culturally adapted parenting support available to Māori families

Simultaneous optimisation of stope layouts and long term production schedules

Optimisation techniques for underground metalliferous mine design and planning are not commonplace like their open cut counterpart. Optimisation studies which have focused on underground design and planning are amenable to improvement. Additionally, all techniques have ignored the effects that underground design and planning areas have on each other. This means that when optimising an individual area, there is a likelihood of increasing costs or decreasing revenues in areas not included. Considering the interaction and influence key underground design and planning areas have on each other when optimising, will provide more profitable results than if ignored. Optimisation techniques for stope layouts and production scheduling are reviewed. A model that simultaneously optimises stope layouts and production schedules using mixed integer programming is proposed and successfully applied to 64 443 blocks over a 23 year mine life, demonstrating the model's ability to produce optimal long term mine plans for a sublevel stoping operation with a $22.7m maximised net present value