DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PARENT TRAINING FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG-CHILDREN

In an effort to explore the value and feasibility of teaching the prin ciples behind developmentally appropriate practices to parents, 53 fam ilies with young children were studied. Parents were randomly assigned to participate or not participate in a three month-long, weekly, pare nt training program. Following completion of the program members of pa rticipating families were less Likely to engage in conflict during a p uzzle solving task than were members of nonparticipating families. Par ents who participated were more Likely to take a supportive leadership role and have age-appropriate expectations during a puzzle solving ta sk than were nonparticipating parents. Children in participating famil ies showed better social skills than children in nonparticipating fami lies. Portions of the increase in social skills were related to reduct ions in family conflict and to the development of a task orientation t hat was more appropriately focused on process than outcome. Lower fami ly conflict was also related to better gross motor skills in children.