Contextual risk and parental attributions of children's behavior as factors that influence the acceptability of empirically supported treatments

Abstract

This study examined the acceptability of several empirically supported treatments (child social skills training, parent training and medication) within a sample of low-income African American mothers of a preschooler exhibiting significant disruptive behavior. Contextual risk and causal and responsibility attributions were predicted to be associated with treatment acceptability. Eighty-seven participants completed an attributional-style measure of child misbehavior and considered hypothetically the acceptability of several empirically supported treatments. Social skills and parent training were highly accepted, while medication was not. Greater causal attributions (child's behavior viewed as global, stable and due to something within the child) were associated with higher acceptability of social skills training. The relationship between attributions and medication was moderated by risk. In the context of high risk, lower causal attributions were associated with higher acceptability of medication whereas in the context of low risk, lower causal attributions were associated with lower acceptability of medication. In contrast, in the context of high risk, higher responsibility attributions (child's behavior viewed as purposeful, selfish and deserving of blame) were associated with greater acceptability of medication, while in the context of low risk, higher responsibility attributions were associated with lower acceptability of medication. Implications for future research and the implementation of empirically supported treatments within communities of color and those with economic disadvantage are discussed.

Keywords:

• attributions
• disruptive behaviors
• empirically supported treatments

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a Head Start Graduate Student Research Grant awarded to the fourth author. We thank the children, families and Head Start personnel who participated and dedicated their time to this study.