Who Benefits? Moderators of Outcome in an Effectiveness Trial of a Parent Training with Ethnic Minority Mothers

Parent Management Training, the Oregon Model (PMTO) is an intervention aimed at reducing child conduct problems. The intervention builds on the social interaction learning (SIL) model and postulates that parenting practices are mediators of change in child conduct behavior. PMTO has shown promising results in reducing child conduct problems, improving social competence and enhancing parental discipline both in the US and in Norway. However, it is of major importance to understand who benefits and who does not benefit (moderators) from this current treatment approach. Few, if any, have examined moderator’s of change in child behavior among ethnic minority families who received PMTO.

The present study aims at producing knowledge about moderators of change in conduct problems amongst 96 children aged 4-8 years within a Somali and Pakistani immigrant population in Norway participating in PMTO. Families were randomized to PMTO and waiting-list condition. Assessments were carried out at baseline and post intervention using standardized measures.

Analysis of covariance in an intention to treat design showed that PMTO was effective in reducing maternal harsh discipline (d = .27), increasing maternal positive parenting (d = .54) and reducing child conduct problems (d= .32) (Bjørknes & Manger, 2012). Drawing on this result and prior literature on moderators, we will examine several potential moderators of outcome, all assessed at baseline, before randomization. The following moderators will be tested: Family risk factors including mother a single parent, depressive symptoms, social network and education. Child risk factors including male gender, baseline level of social competence and baseline lever of problem behaviour (at home and in school settings).   

The findings from prior analysis indicate that PMTO for ethnic minority families produces beneficial outcomes in Norway. In sum, this suggests that the principle of PMTO also applies to ethnic minority families in Norway. However, up to the present we do not know if there is treatment nonresponse or if there is subgroups that tend to show greater improvement in child conduct problems post-intervention. The goal of this present study is to examine if there are any beneficial effects of PMTO within a randomized trial with ethnic minority mothers.

Reference:

Bjørknes, R., & Manger, T. (2012). Can parent training alter parent practice and reduce conduct problems in ethnic minority children? A randomized controlled trial. Prevention Science. Doi: 10.1007/s11121-012-0299-9