EARLY INTERVENTION IN THE PATH TO ALCOHOL-PROBLEMS THROUGH CONDUCT PROBLEMS - TREATMENT INVOLVEMENT AND CHILD-BEHAVIOR CHANGE

A program for the prevention of conduct problems among preschool-age s ons of alcoholic fathers was implemented to interrupt what is likely t o be a major mediating factor in the development of alcoholism in late r years. A population-based sample of 42 families participated in a 10 -month intervention involving parent training and marital problem solv ing. Differences in treatment outcome were examined, with the expectat ion that level of treatment involvement-entailing both level of partic ipation and level of investment-would account for variability in child outcome at termination. Significant changes in positive and negative child behaviors were observed only within the group of families who co mpleted the program and where the mothers demonstrated a higher level of treatment investment. When pretreatment child, parent, and family p redictors of child behavior change were accounted for, subsequent anal yses identified maternal treatment investment as a significant predict or of child outcome.