THE IMPACT OF SYNTHESIS TEACHING AND PARENT TRAINING WITH MOTHERS OF CONDUCT-DISORDERED CHILDREN

A procedure to enhance the impact of parent training with multistresse d mother-child dyads was explored with 29 clinic-referred dyads. The p rocedure, called synthesis teaching, was provided for one randomly sel ected group of dyads, while the other group was engaged in problem dis cussions about their children. Both groups received parent training as the principal intervention for the mothers' conduct-disordered childr en. Results showed that these interventions had no effects on dyads in the clinic setting but had a progressively more significant effect at home for the synthesis teaching group. That is, mothers in this group showed reductions in their indiscriminate parenting and their childre n demonstrated behavioral improvements. In contrast, mothers in the co ntrol group did not change their behavior and their children did not d emonstrate observed behavioral changes. Interpretations of the results center on how synthesis teaching might have produced these effects.