TY  - JOUR
AU  - Sourander, Saana
AU  - Westerlund, Minja
AU  - Baumel, Amit
AU  - Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, Susanna
AU  - Ristkari, Terja
AU  - Kurki, Marjo
AU  - Sourander, Andre
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/16
TI  - Web-Based Parent Training With Telephone Coaching Aimed at Treating Child Disruptive Behaviors in a Clinical Setting During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Single-Group Study With 2-Year Follow-Up
JO  - JMIR Pediatr Parent
SP  - e63416
VL  - 7
KW  - parent training
KW  - disruptive behavior
KW  - child psychopathology
KW  - child functioning
KW  - behaviors
KW  - behavioral
KW  - coaching
KW  - web-based
KW  - family counseling
KW  - child
KW  - disruptive
KW  - counseling
KW  - training
KW  - parents
KW  - parenting
KW  - telephone
KW  - telehealth
KW  - telemedicine
KW  - pediatrics
KW  - COVID-19
AB  - Background: There is a lack of studies examining the long-term outcomes of web-based parent training programs implemented in clinical settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The aim is to study 2-year outcomes of families with 3‐ to 8-year-old children referred from family counseling centers to the Finnish Strongest Families Smart Website (SFSW), which provides digital parent training with telephone coaching aimed at treating child disruptive behaviors. Methods: Counseling centers in Helsinki identified fifty 3‐ to 8-year-old children with high levels of disruptive behavioral problems. Child psychopathology and functioning as well as parenting styles and parental mental health were collected from parents at baseline; posttreatment; and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups. Results: The SFSW program had positive long-term changes in child psychopathology and parenting skills. Improvements in child psychopathology, including Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire total score (Cohen d=0.47; P<.001), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire conduct scores (Cohen d=0.65; P<.001), and Affective Reactivity Index irritability scores (Cohen d=0.52; P<.001), were maintained until the 24-month follow-up. Similarly, changes in parenting skills measured with the Parenting Scale, including overreactivity (Cohen d=0.41; P=.001) and laxness (Cohen d=0.26; P=.02), were maintained until the 24-month follow-up. However, parental hostility changes were not maintained at long-term follow-up (Cohen d=−0.04; P=.70). Conclusions: The study shows that the SFSW parent training program can yield significant long-term benefits. Findings indicate that the benefits of the treatment may vary between different parenting styles, which is important to consider when developing more personalized parenting interventions. 
SN  - 2561-6722
UR  - https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2024/1/e63416
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/63416
DO  - 10.2196/63416
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/63416
ER  -