The Effectiveness of Parenting Programs

Abstract

Parenting practices predict important outcomes for children, and parenting programs are potentially effective means of supporting parents to promote optimal outcomes for children. This review summarizes findings of systematic reviews of parenting programs published in the Campbell Library. Six reviews evaluated the effectiveness of a range of parenting programs in the primary and secondary prevention of behavioral problems (children aged 0–3 years), treatment of early onset conduct disorder (children aged 3–12 years), and improving outcomes for parents and children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, outcomes for particular groups of parents and children (i.e., with intellectual disabilities and teenagers), and the psychosocial functioning of parents. The findings show that parenting programs are effective in improving the emotional and behavioral adjustment of children in addition to enhancing the psychosocial well-being of parents. They also suggest that further research is needed to assess their effectiveness for specific subgroups of parents in addition to their long-term effectiveness.