THE LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF A BEHAVIORAL PARENT TRAINING INTERVENTION FOR FAMILIES WITH 2-YEAR-OLDS

The effectiveness of a behavioral parent training (BPT) intervention f or improving maternal self-efficacy, maternal stress, and the quality of mother-toddler interactions has been demonstrated (Gross, Fogg, & T ucker, 1995). The 1-year follow-up of the 46 parents of toddlers (assi gned to an intervention or comparison group) who participated in that study is reported. It was hypothesized that (a) BPT would lead to endu ring positive changes in parenting self-efficacy, parenting stress, an d parent-toddler interactions; and (b) the amount of parent participat ion in the intervention would be correlated with greater gains in pare nt-child outcomes at 1 year. All the families were retained and signif icant gains in maternal self-efficacy, maternal stress, and mother-chi ld interactions were maintained. Minimal BPT effects were found for fa thers. BPT dosage was related to reductions in mother critical stateme nts and negative physical behaviors at 1-year postintervention. The fi ndings are consistent with self-efficacy theory and support parenting self-efficacy as a target for BPT in families of young children. (C) 1 998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.