Convergence of Sibling Risk Among Children of Parents with Serious Mental Disorders

We examined child psychiatric diagnoses, behavioral problems, overall symptom impairment, global psychological functioning, intellectual ability, and adaptive behavior in 83 sibling pairs whose mothers were diagnosed with a serious mental disorder. Sibling pairs were assessed for the extent to which they converged on the presence or absence of risk on each adverse outcome and then examined under conditions of high vs. low/moderate family stress. Consistent with the study hypotheses, we found that on each outcome assessed there was evidence for sibling convergence of risk. In addition, family stress was found to significantly moderate sibling risk convergence. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding sibling convergence of risk in these families and for clinical and preventive intervention.     

Pyramidal training for families of children with problem behavior

The pyramidal training model was extended to multiple family members of children with behavior disorders. Three primary caregivers were taught to implement individualized treatments for problem behavior. They were then taught how to use various instructional strategies (e.g., prompting, feedback) to teach 2 other family members to implement the treatment. Results showed that pyramidal training was effective in increasing caregiver implementation of treatments across three families.     

Evaluating a more cost-efficient alternative to providing in-home feedback to parents: the use of spousal feedback.

We evaluated the contribution of spousal feedback to a parent education curriculum designed for parents of children with autism. A modified multiple baseline design across 3 husband-and-wife dyads was used to examine the effects of teaching parents to give each other feedback on their teaching performance. For 5 of 6 participants, improvement in teaching performance occurred following didactic presentations. However, additional improvement was observed for 5 participants when the spousal feedback component was implemented.     

Behavioral Family Interventions for Improving Child-rearing: A Review of the Literature for Clinicians and Policy Makers

This paper reviews evidence that behavioral family interventions are effective at improving child-rearing in distressed families and families with children exhibiting disruptive behavior. Essential therapeutic strategies offered within a collaborative therapeutic process are identified. Exemplary materials for parents and clinicians are identified. Differences between behavioral family interventions and two popular press parenting approaches are highlighted, including the lack of empirical support for these widely used programs and the advice they offer which runs counter to behavioral approaches. Recommendations are offered for combining behavioral family interventions with other empirically supported approaches, promoting more widespread use of empirically supported treatments, such as behavioral family interventions, and the need for a public health perspective on family functioning, involving collaboration among clinicians, policy makers, and researchers.     

A BEHAVIORAL MODEL OF INFANT SLEEP DISTURBANCE

Chronic sleep disturbance, such as bed refusal, sleep-onset delay, and night waking with crying, affects 15% to 35% of preschool children. Biological factors, particularly arousals associated with recurrent episodes of rapid-eye-movement sleep, render infants vulnerable to repeated awakenings. Parental failure to establish appropriate stimulus control of sleep-related behaviors and parent-mediated contingencies of reinforcement for sleep-incompatible behaviors may shape and maintain infant sleep disturbance. Treatment and prevention strategies are discussed, and research needs are identified.     

TREATING CHRONIC FOOD REFUSAL IN YOUNG CHILDREN: HOME-BASED PARENT TRAINING

We evaluated the effects of a behavioral parent training program on parent and child feeding-related behaviors in the home. We trained mothers to initiate regular offerings of previously rejected (target) foods and to provide contingent attention (i.e., specific prompts, positive reinforcement) to increase their child's acceptance of nonpreferred foods. For 1 subject, we also directed training at increasing self-eating. Results of a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across 3 mother-child dyads demonstrated that, with training, all mothers increased offerings of target foods and use of specific prompts, and 2 mothers increased levels of positive attention. In turn, children increased their acceptance of target foods and self-eating, thus demonstrating the functional effects of parent training on in-home mealtimes. Temporary increases in food refusals occurred when treatment was initiated but declined as treatment continued. We discuss the results in terms of the potential benefits and limitations of a home-based treatment model.     

Nature of relations between the physical and social microenvironment of the two-year-old child

Previous research has demonstrated that high levels of noise, crowing or person traffic pattern in infants' homes are associated with less involved and less responsive caregiving by parents. Based on these previous findings two questions were investigated in the present research. First, does the same pattern of relations appear with older toddlers; second, are these patterns unique to the specific dimensions of noise, crowding and traffic pattern? Subjects were 56 2-year-old toddlers. Based upon repeated home observations the physical and social environments fo the toddlers' homes were assessed using codes from the Purdue Home Stimulation Inventory. Analysis of the interrelation between the phychology and social microenvironments of these toddlers was based upon canonical correlation. Congruent with preovious research, interpretation of the canonical structure revealed that high levels of noise, crowding or traffic pattern in the home were associated with lower caregiver attentiveness and responsivity. Results also indicated that this pattern was unique to the specific physical environment dimensions of noise, crowding and traffic pattern. Implications of these results for alternate care settings are discussed.