Searching for the Standard: The Impact of Level of Training on In Vivo Coaching in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.

Although live coaching using behavioral principles is a powerful mechanism of change in behavioral parent training (BPT), little research has examined the coaching process. We used a cross-sectional sample of coaches with different levels of training in the evidence-based behavioral parent training model parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) to begin to understand how training impacts coaching techniques. Forty-six coaches including PCIT lay helpers, therapists, within-agency and global/regional trainers, provided a sample of coaching in response to a standardized parent-child interaction. Level of training was significantly and positively associated with coaching verbalizations (r(44) = .80, p < .001). Training level was also associated with effective coaching strategies such that as training increased, coaches used more strategies related to positive treatment outcomes for families. Results suggest that coaches with less training may benefit from additional education around certain types of responsive coaching strategies. Findings raise important questions about how "adequate" and "optimal" coaching might be defined.

The Impact of Foster Parent Training on Parenting Skills and Child Disruptive Behavior.

Children in foster care are at risk for behavioral and emotional problems that require higher levels of care than other children. To meet these needs and reduce placement disruptions, foster parents require effective parenting skills. Although a number of training models have been evaluated, the findings on the efficacy of foster parent training (FPT) are mixed. We conducted a meta-analysis of the FPT outcome research from 1984 to 2014 to develop a clearer understanding of the impact of such trainings. Fifteen samples (16 studies) were identified that investigated the impact of FPT on self-reported parenting skills and knowledge and child problem behaviors. The mean effect size for child disruptive behavior using a random effects model was small but significant at -.20 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [-.39, -.01], Z = 2.05, p < .05), suggesting that, on average, foster parents who were involved in the trainings reported fewer child behavior problems than parents who did not receive the training. The mean effect size for parenting was moderate and significant at .52 (95% CI = [.22, .82], Z = 3.38, p < .05), indicating that, on average, parents in the treatment groups reported higher levels of skills and knowledge following training than did those in the control group. While these results are promising, more research is necessary to investigate the inconsistency in effect sizes across studies.