The effects of parent training on parenting stress and sense of competence.

Abstract

The effects of behavioural parent training groups on parenting stress and sense of competence were investigated.Subjects were 91 families of ADDH preschoolers who participated in one of two randomized control studies that demonstrated the efficacy of group parent training in the amelioration of child noncompliance.Compared to parents awaiting treatment, parents who completed training reported significant improvements on the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) Parent Domain, and both Skills and Valuing subscales of the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSCS) immediately after treatment and three months later.Intercorrelations among the self-report measures as well as their relationships with other variables were examined.Significant correlations were found between improvements on the PSCS Skills and Valuing subscales.Improvement on the PSCS Valuing subscale was also associated with decreases in the PSI Parent Domain.Improvements on the PSI Child Domain and PSCS Valuing subscale were significantly correlated with parents 1 perceptions of improvement in their children's behaviour.No significant correlations were found between self-report improvements and observed changes in parent or child behaviour or parental compliance to treatment.The results indicated that group parent training had a positive impact on parenting stress and sense of competence.These changes were independent of improvements in actual parent and child behaviour assessed in the clinic. ResumeLes effets sur le stress et le sentiment de competence des parents que peuvent avoir les formations de groupes agissant sur le comportement parental sont etudie's dans le present article.Les sujets, quatre-vingt-onze families d'enfants ADDH d'age pr&colaire, ont participe, au hasard, a l'une des deux etudes de contr61e qui cherchaient a demontrer l'efficacite de ces groupes de formation sur l'amelioration de la desobeissance chez les enfants.Compares aux parents n'ayant pas encore recu cette formation, les parents ayant complete leur formation ont enregistr£ des ameliorations significatives sur l'lndex de stress parental (PSI) -cote parents, et sur les sous-echelles des techniques et des valeurs de l'indice du sentiment de competence parental (PSCS) des la fin de la Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 1992, 24:1, 41-58 "The diagnostic terms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADDH, and hyperactivity refer to the childhood disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and overactivity.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder reflects current diagnostic criteria; ADDH reflects the diagnostic criteria used to select the samples studied.Hyperactivity is used as a generic term.