Self-Directed Behavioral Family Intervention: Do Therapists Matter?

ABSTRACT

Behavioral family intervention is an effective form of intervention for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems in children. There is a growing need to address the accessibility of these services. This paper reviews the literature on self-directed interventions designed to help parents manage difficult child behaviors. Evidence regarding the efficacy of interventions is reviewed, and some of the difficulties associated with self-directed programs are discussed. The Self-directed Triple P and Teen Triple P-Positive Parenting Programs are highlighted as examples of efficacious and effective behavioural family interventions fitting into a larger multi-level model of family intervention. The discussion of the efficacy and effectiveness of self-directed Triple P has implications for service delivery of parenting programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-directed
• behavioral family intervention
• parenting
• telephone counselling
• children
• adolescents