Therapeutic Parents: Evaluation of the Adequacy of the Incredible Years Basic Parent Programme in the Promotion of Professional Skills and Reduction of Behavioural Problems of Children in Residential Care

Abstract

The research presented in this thesis was conducted with the ultimate goal of understanding if a parenting training programme, in this particular case the Incredible Years Basic Parent Programme (Webster-Stratton, 2005), is an adequate answer to improve the educative practices used by direct carers in alternative care. Although behavioural and emotional concerns with the children in care are prevalent in these professionals, and frequently is the focus for staff teams’ discussions, little has been done to deliver evidenced-based knowledge and skills in managing challenging behaviour to the Portuguese residential staff carers. The prospect of understanding the short and longer-term outcomes of the staff carers’ and children’s after implementing the Incredible Years Basic Parent Programme (IY) provided the compelling impetus for this research. In addition, it was considered important to make an assessment of the participants’ satisfaction with the training. This research used a non-randomized exploratory design. Four Portuguese short- term residential child care centres (Centros de Acolhimento Temporário para Crianças e Jovens em Risco) for children from 0 to 12 age range participated in this study. Two centres received the Incredible Years Basic (Anos Incríveis Básico) intervention and data were collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months follow-up. The other two centres did not receive any intervention, and the data were collected only at baseline and 6 months. Impact assessment was done using nonparametric statistical models (Kruskal-Wallis; Chi-square; Wilcoxon; Friedman tests) due to the small sample size of each group. Short-term results suggest that the staff carers gained some knowledge and skills related to empathy, positive parenting and affection, after participating in the parenting intervention programme (IY); and the children displayed less deviant and noncompliant behaviour. Over time, in the follow-up (12 months), those results were not sustained, suggesting that support and training may need to be provided to caregivers on a regular and ongoing basis. Consideration of participants’ satisfaction results revealed high levels of carer positive feedback about the weekly sessions and the overall programme (i.e., contents, teaching format, group leaders and usefulness of educational techniques). Although the sample had limitations, the modest results and experience self-reported by the staff carers and facilitators were positive. The programme can perhaps provide a basic framework or starting point for the introduction of evidence-based interventions that promote the staff carers’ development and the dissemination of new care practices. It is recommended that future studies with the Incredible Years or other similar child care skills training programmes need to be conducted with a large sample of staff carers and children along with support sessions after, in order to develop a clearer understanding of the efficacy and suitability of such training models in the residential child care context.