Children with difficulties, parenting training and action research

Abstract

This article describes an action research project which compares two forms of intervention with families with children who were seen to have 'medium range' behavioural difficulties. The implications of this research for the delivery of parenting training programmes, and for services to families in general, are discussed. The research took place in an industrial urban area in the North of England. A programme of parenting training was compared with a social skills and self-esteem programme for the young people within the target families. Both interventions were effective; however, the parenting intervention was more effective. Areas of particular improvement were parents' perceptions of more considerate and helpful behaviour in their children, and lower levels of hyperactivity, a reduction in levels of parental depression, and an increase in children's sense of self-esteem and self-confidence.