Poster #164 - Demographic and family factors associated with enrollment in a parent-training prevention program for externalizing problems

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Prevention and Interventions

Integrative Statement

Some interventions, specifically parent training in early and middle childhood (e.g., Incredible Years, COPE), have shown to be effective in reducing externalizing problems (EPs). Little research has examined the efficacy of parent training programs in preventing EPs for at risk preschool children, such as those with lower levels of self-control. Recruitment in parent training programs is a major challenge for clinicians and researchers as parents have to commit to numerous weekly sessions. Several factors (e.g. marital status, low SES; Robinson et al. 2016) are known to influence parent’s enrollment while other would benefit from being investigated (e.g., parenting stress). Few studies have examined them in relation to recruitment in prevention programs, most probably because data on families refusing intervention is limited.
The purpose of this study is to examine demographic and family factors associated to parents’ decision to participate in a randomized control trial (RCT) evaluating the efficacy of a parent training program (the French version of COPE, EQUIPE). Used for the first time in a preventive approach with a non-clinical population, the main objective of this RCT was to prevent EPs using a brief (10 weeks) group parent training program targeting preschool children (4-5 years) demonstrating low self-control at age 2 (assessed with ECBQ; Putnam et al., 2006). Families were recruited from a longitudinal community sample followed from pregnancy (3D-study), with 164 parents accepting (48% of those invited) to be randomized to a control or intervention group and 32 families attending interventions (from 82 families randomized to intervention). Although enrollment was low, once families accepted to participate, attendance and retention rates were extremely high (100% retention).
Logistic regressions were used (SPSS 25) to examine whether mother-reported marital status, family income and parenting stress measured with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 1995) were associated with enrollment.
Results revealed that parenting stress is associated with higher odds of refusal (Table 1). Furthermore, single parenting was associated with higher odds of accepting intervention. Family income did not significantly predict parent’s decision to participate.
Other demographic (e.g., child sex, immigrant status), family (e.g., siblings, extended family) and child characteristics (e.g., levels of EPs) factors assessed at 2 and 4 years old will also be examined as predictors of parent enrollment. So far, results seem to suggest that high level of parenting stress is associated with higher refusal odds, implying that stress might affect parent’s perception of the potential benefit of intervention. Also, because PSI’s total parenting stress scale could be considered a proxy for a more general measure of family stress (e.g. family conflict, busy schedule), taking part in a scheduled group intervention could be perceived as additional pressure rather than support. That said, although single parenting generates additional organizational struggles, results highlighted higher rates of acceptance for single-parent families. They might perceive the intervention as potentially more helpful because of a more precarious state. Also, the group setting and compensatory conditions (money for transport, childcare) offered may have contributed to their enrollment. Clinical implications and implications for recruitment will be discussed.

Authors

• Julie Murray, University of Montreal
  Presenting Author

• Michelle Pinsonneault, University of Montreal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Charlie Rioux, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sophie Parent, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jean R. Séguin, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Natalie Castellanos Ryan, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author