Abstract
The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a behavioral group counseling program for parent members of the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities. Twentytwo mothers were assigned to two treatment groups (N=5 and N=6) and a control group (N=11). Treatment-group mothers received a series of eight weekly 11/2-hour sessions in which they were taught basic principles and procedures of behavior modification which they could apply to specific childrearing problems. Multiplesuccess criteria (maternal reports, direct observation, frequency counts, and attitudinal measures) were employed to provide a broad-based measurement of outcome. Results indicated that treatment ratings of childrens' conduct and disruption and parental postbehavioral observations of mother-child interactions showed improvement for the behavioral-counseling groups while control-group ratings and behavior observations remained the same. All treatment-group changes were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Consistency of treatment-group data across measures and over time suggests the effectiveness of this approach as a training method. Implications for future research were discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Reference notes
Walder, L. O., Breiter, D. E., Cohen, S. L, Daston, P. G., Forbes, J. A., & MacIntyre, R. W.Teaching parents to modify the behaviors of their autistic children. Paper presented at the 74th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, New York, 1966.
Walder, O. O., Cohen, S. I., Breiter, D. E., Daston, P. G., Hirsch, I. S., & Leibowitz, J. M.Teaching behavioral principles to parents of disturbed children. Paper presented at the meetings of the Eastern Psychological Association, Boston, 1967.
Hirsch, I., & Walder, L. Training mothers in groups as reinforcement therapists for their own children.Proceedings of the 77th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, 1969,4, 561–562.
Peine, H., & Munro, B.Training parents using lecture demonstration procedures and a contingency managed program. Unpublished manuscript, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1970.
Cobb, J. A.Manual for coding academic survival skill behaviors and teacher/peer responses (Report No. 3). Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon, Center for Research and Demonstration in the Early Education of Handicapped Children, 1971.
Gordon, S. B., & Keefe, F. J.Naturalistic observations of classroom behavior of normal and deviant children. Unpublished manuscript, Rutgers Medical School, 1976.
References
Arnoff, F. N., Rubinstein, E. A., Shriver, B. M., & Jones, D. R. The mental health fields: An overview of manpower growth and development. In J. N. Arnhoff, E. A. Rubenstein, & J. C. Speisman (Eds.).Manpower for mental health. Chicago: Aldine, 1969.
Becker, W. C.Parents are teachers: A child management program. Illinois: Research Press, 1971.
Berkowitz, B. P., & Graziano, A. M. Training parents as behavior therapists: A review.Behavior Research and Therapy, 1972,10, 297–317.
Bliss, C. I.Statistics in biology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.
Eyberg, S. M., & Johnson, S. M. Multiple assessment of behavior modification with families: Effects of contingency contracting and order of treated problems.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974,28, 304–310.
Hayes, W. L.Statistics for the social sciences. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1963.
Johnson, C. A., & Katz, R. C. Using parents as change agents for their children: A review.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1973,14, 181–200.
Lewis, J. H. The effects of a group procedure on selected parents of mentally retarded children.Dissertation Abstracts, 1970,31(9A), 4553.
Madsen, C. H., Becker, W. C., & Thomas, D. R. Rules, praise and ignoring: Elements of elementary classroom control.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1968,6, 371–383.
MacPherson, S. B., & Samuels, C. R. Teaching behavioral methods to parents.Social Caseworks, 1971,52, 148–153.
Mira, M. Results of a behavior modification training program for parents and teachers.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1970,8, 309–311.
O'Dell, S. Training parents in behavior modification: A review.Psychological Bulletin, 1914,81(7), 418–433.
Patterson, G. R. Behavioral intervention procedures in the classroom and the home. In A. E. Bergin & S. L. Garfield (Eds.),Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change: An empirical analysis. New York: Wiley, 1971.
Patterson, G. R. Interventions for boys with conduct problems: Multiple settings, treatments and criteria.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974,42, 471–481.
Patterson, G. R., & Brodsky, G. A behavior modification program for a child with multiple problem behaviors.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1966,7, 277–295.
Patterson, G. R., Cobb, J. A., & Ray, R. S. A social engineering technology for retraining the families of aggressive boys. In H. E. Adams & I. P. Unikel (Eds.),Issues and trends in behavior therapy, 1972.
Patterson, G. R., & Fagot, B. I. Selective responsiveness to social reinforcers and deviant behavior in children.Psychological Record, 1967,17, 369–378.
Patterson, G. R., McNeal, S., Hawkins, N., & Phelps, R. Reprogramming the social environment.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1967,8, 181–195.
Patterson, G. R., & Reid, J. B. Intervention for families of aggressive boys: A replication study.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 1973,11. 383–394.
Romanczyk, R. G., Kent, R. N., Diament, C., & O'Leary, K. D. Measuring the reliability of observational data: A relative process.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1973,6(1), 175–184.
Salzinger, H., Feldman, R., & Portnoy, S. Training parents of brain injured children in the use of operant conditioning procedures.Behavior Therapy, 1970,1, 4–32.
Stein, J. Some ethical considerations of short-term workshops in the principles and methods of behavior modification.Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 1975,8, 113–115.
Tavormina, J. B. Basic models of parent counseling: A critical review.Psychological Bulletin, 1974,81(11), 827–835.
Tavormina, J. B. Relative effectiveness of behavioral and reflective group counseling with parents of mentally retarded children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975,45(1), 22–31.
Tharp, R. G., & Wetzel, R. J.Behavior modification in the natural environment. New York: Academic Press, 1969.
Walter, H. I., & Gilmore, S. H. Placebo versus social learning effects in parent training procedures designed to alter the behavior of aggressive boys.Behavior Therapy, 1973,4, 361–477.
Wiggins, J.Personality and prediction: Principles of personality assessment. Addison-Wesley, 1973.
Wiltz, N. A. Modification of behaviors of deviant boys through parent participation in a group technique.Dissertation Abstracts International, 1970,30, 4786–4787A.
Wiltz, N. A., & Patterson, G. R. An evaluation of parent training procedures designed to alter inappropriate aggressive behavior of boys.Behavior Therapy, 1974,5, 215–221.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
An earlier version of this manuscript was submitted to Rutgers University in partial fulfillment of the first author's doctoral research requirement. Our deepest appreciation is extended to the New Jersey Association for Children with Learning Disabilities (A.C.L.D.) of Morris County, who had only the concern of its member parents and children at heart when they decided to sponsor this project. We also wish to express our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Ellie Feeney for her help in typing this manuscript.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Diament, C., Colletti, G. Evaluation of behavioral group counseling for parents of learning-disabled children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 6, 385–400 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00924741
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00924741