Teaching adults parenting skills is best method to treat children with conduct problems

A new study from associate of psychology professor Theodore Beauchaine at the University of Washington has reinforced what many people already know: Parenting skills are vital in the development and discipline of a child.

“You don’t treat conduct disorder or delinquency just by treating the child,” Beauchaine said. “This study shows that parent training is the most effective tool in dealing with conduct disorder. We compared a great number of variables and there was not a single condition where a treatment without parent training was more effective.”

A combined approach that equips parents and teachers, as well as giving the child social skills, is the most successful method.

The study also found that children with symptoms of depression or anxiety responded better to treatment; that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) responded better to interventions where teacher training was added to parental training; that treatments apply equally well to girls as well as boys.

The parent training program used in the study taught parents child-directed play skills, effective parenting, communication and problem solving skills, strategies for coping with stress and ways to boost children’s social skills and manage aggressive and problematic behaviors. The child training program included teaching youngsters how to follow school rules, doing one’s best in school, coping with feelings, problem solving, anger management, making friends and engaging in teamwork.

Read the full article: Teaching adults effective parenting skills best tool to treat children with serious conduct problems