Evaluation of a Group Behavioural Family Intervention for Families of young children with developmental disabilities

Twenty-eight Australian families took part in a trial of a group behavioural intervention for families of young children with a disability. Fifteen families completed the 'Group Stepping Stones Positive Parenting Program' with the remainder allocated to a waitlist condition. Before and after the trial period all parents completed measures of discipline style, parental adjustment and child behaviour. Post-intervention, treatment group parents reported using more behaviourally focused responses to their child's behaviour, reported less inter-parental conflict, and increased sense of parenting efficacy. Reliable individual improvement was more frequent among treatment group families for discipline styles, parental conflict and intensity of challenging behaviour.