The effectiveness of a parenting skills program for parents of middle school students in small communities

This study provides evidence of the effectiveness of behaviorally based par enting skills classes provided by carefully trained and supervised group le aders who were not mental health clinicians. A program for parents of at-ri sk middle school students was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial in 8 small Oregon communities. Parents (N = 303) were randomly assigned to im mediate treatment or a wait-list condition. Data were analyzed using latent growth modeling. Participation in the program led to significant improveme nts in problem-solving interactions as indicated by parent reports and a Ta ped Situations Test. Parents' overreactivity and laxness toward their child ren's behavior were reduced and their feelings toward their children improv ed significantly as a function of treatment. Parent-reported child antisoci al behavior was also reduced.