The Development of a High-Intensity Parent Training Program for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Child Conduct Problems

Abstract

Objective: A home-based parent training program for the treatment of moderate to severe conduct problems was developed in two stages. Method: Study 1, a case study, examined the inverse covariation between child compliance to parental instruction and aversive responding. Study 2, which used a multiple-baseline-across-subjects experimental design with two families, examined the effectiveness of a multicomponent treatment strategy for the reduction of aversive child behavior. Treatment was conducted as in Study 1 with the addition of high-intensity training in a time-out procedure. Direct observations of parent and child behavior were conducted in the home setting. Results: Study 1 demonstrated the inverse covariation effect. Study 2 demonstrated significant treatment gains in parent and child behaviors in both training and test settings, which were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: A home-based parent training program that includes high-intensity training in time-out is an effective treatment method for moderate to severe child conduct problems.