The international dissemination of evidence-based parenting interventions: impact on practitioner content and process self-efficacy

Abstract

Implementation of evidence-based parenting programs with parents most in need is important for reducing maladaptive child behavior problems. However, effective implementation is limited by numerous factors including practitioners’ self-efficacy in the delivery of an intervention to a parent, and their lack of confidence in parent consultation skills. This study explores changes in self-efficacy of 5109 practitioners from diverse countries, professional and qualification backgrounds, who received standardized training in the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program between 2007 and 2012. Practitioners were assessed for perceived adequacy of skills and confidence in the delivery of strategies and approaches necessary for the effective delivery of Triple P, pre- and post-training. Results overall confirm that training was associated with significant improvement in both content and process efficacy. While no significant differences in practitioner self-efficacy were found between professional and qualification groups, there were post-training differences between country groups and in practitioners’ sense of competence in consulting with parents about child behavior and appropriate parenting. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of a growing and diverse health workforce and in developing training protocols that cross different language and regional groups.