The It Takes Two to Talk® – The Hanen Program® for Parents: impacts on child behaviour and social-emotional functioning

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to explore outcomes of a parent-implemented language intervention for children with language difficulties with respect to child behaviour and social-emotional functioning. A single group, quasi-experimental pre–post design was used. Participants were 121 parent–child dyads. The children with language difficulties were aged between 18 months and 4 years. Outcome measures were completed pre- and post-participation in the It Takes Two to Talk® (ITTT) – The Hanen Program® for Parents. Parents reported positive changes (p = <0.01) across four of 10 child behaviours explored in the current study. This study also identified that approximately half of the children who participated (n = 56, 46.3%) were at risk for social-emotional difficulties pre-program and that there was a significant reduction (p = 0.004) in this number post-program. Given the positive outcomes with respect to overall social-emotional functioning in this community-based sample of more than 100 children, this study has highlighted the importance of measuring outcomes of parent-implemented speech-language pathology beyond child language and parent–child interactions. In addition, findings have highlighted a need for further research related to child behaviour outcomes in order to establish if language intervention focused on improving parent–child interactions is also effective in reducing specific disruptive behaviours.

KEYWORDS:

• Language delay
• late talkers
• parent–child interaction
• behaviour
• social-emotional functioning
• early intervention
• Hanen