Inhibiting Discrimination of Skills as a Strategy for Obtaining Transfer of Parent Training

Abstract

The study compared the effectiveness of two training programs designed to teach 24 mothers improved parenting skills. A between-groups design was used to evaluate the treatment program. Mothers were randomly assigned to one of three groups during 1.75 hour sessions; a generalization-strategy group, a no-strategy group, or a no-treatment, waiting-list control group. Three basic training dimensions were systematically varied in the generalization-strategy group-settings, therapists, and meeting times-but not in the no-strategy group. All other training elements were held constant with strategies to minimize methodological and experimenter bias employed. Mothers in both the generalization-strategy group and the no-strategy group demonstrated significantly more effective parenting skills statistically when compared in the clinic, home, and supermarket with the no-treatment control group, but did not differ statistically from each other. The findings are discussed in the context of developing a more efficacious and efficient parent-training technology.