Increasing Acceptance of Behavioral Child Management Techniques: What Do Parents Say?

ABSTRACT

Consumers' willingness to accept treatments is an important concern of clinicians and clinical researchers, particularly when treating children. However, few studies have directly asked parents to give reasons for accepting or refusing treatments. In the current study, 82 parents read descriptions of six behavioral child management techniques, rated their acceptability, and gave reasons for whether they would, or would not, use each technique at home. Response Cost was the most acceptable treatment, followed by Token Economy and Time Out, then Overcorrection, Differential Attention, and Ignoring. Among the reasons, whether parents would or would not use the treatments, the most reliable response categories were prior experience with the technique, effects on the child's well-being, creation of a learning experience for the child, and willingness to use the technique if modified. The categories are discussed in terms of their implications for child treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Behavioral child management techniques
• acceptance