Children are most likely to suffer abuse and neglect at the hands of their parents and caregivers; therefore, if parents and caregivers are targeted for the prevention and interruption of abuse, the frequency of child abuse can be reduced.

How do we prevent child abuse and neglect?

The effects of abuse and neglect on children can be devastating, leading to potentially severe emotional, social, health, and behavioral problems across the lifespan.

Much of the efforts of researchers and clinicians have focused on the intervention and response to child abuse after it has already occurred, while emerging research and practices now focus on the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Children are most likely to suffer abuse and neglect at the hands of their parents and caregivers; therefore, if parents and caregivers are targeted for the prevention and interruption of abuse, the frequency of child abuse can be reduced (Lundhahl, Nimer, & Parsons, 2006).

Focusing on a variety of parent training programs, this newsletter analyzes research outcomes of these models, as well as highlights or own child abuse prevention program focusing on parent training. Because this area of research and practice is emerging and relatively new, we present this information as a portrait of proven approaches rather than best practices, considering that much research is still needed to define best practices.

While professionals across all sectors engage in a variety of approaches to prevent and intervene in cases of child abuse and neglect—including awareness-raising efforts, legal advocacy, individual counseling, and others—this newsletter specifically recognizes and explores the emerging and promising approach of parent training programs.

Recent findings for parenting training programs: 

The goals of the "Integrated Parent Intervention Program" (IPIP)—the model used in the "Foundations for Success" program—and other parent training programs are to reduce child maltreatment by enhancing child-rearing skills; increasing emotional well being of parents; and changing the beliefs of parents towards healthier child-related attitudes.

According to recent research from Lundhahl, Nimer, & Parsons, “Parent training programs operate on the premise that parents will be less likely to abuse if they improve and expand their child-rearing skills, rely less on coercive child management strategies, and modify attitudes linked to harsh parenting” (2006).

In addition to providing knowledge and skills to parents, researchers suggest that many parent training programs include additional components, which are “designed to enhance parents’ emotional well-being, such as anger and stress control, out of recognition that preventing child abuse is simply not accomplished through transmitting knowledge about child development and child management skills” (Lundhahl, Nimer, & Parsons, 2006).

Through the evaluation of several parent training programs, recent studies have shown that overall, parent training is effective in reducing the risk that a parent will physically abuse, verbally abuse, or neglect a child. In fact, Lundhahl, Nimer, & Parsons found that immediately following training, “parents reported significant and meaningful changes in attitudes and emotions linked to abuse and observed child-rearing behaviors and substantiated abuse.”

Lastly, the findings from this research also show that children not only benefited from this training, but “parents’ emotional well-being was also strengthened through parent training” (2006).

The outcomes of this meta-analysis also suggest that the parent training programs which offered home visits to families provided a substantially more positive impact on parents. Evidence shows that “programs that provided interventions through a mixture of office and home settings were more successful than those offering parent training in only one setting” (Lundhahl, Nimer, & Parsons, 2006).

Other recent research suggests that parent training programs that included both fathers and mothers together benefited children greatly and can be more effective in guiding the improvement of children’s behavior than parent training programs in which only a mother attends: “Studies that included fathers, compared with those that did not, reported significantly more positive changes in children’s behavior and desirable parenting practices” (Lundahl, Tollefson, Risser, & Lovejoy, 2008). These findings highlight the importance of dual-parent involvement and active parenting whenever possible for both mothers and fathers within families.

These outcomes help us to understand the dynamics of parent trainings programs which are most successful, and also help us to see the areas of growth and need for development of the implementation of future parent training programming.

Overview of the Integrated Parent Intervention Program Model:

The IPIP model focuses on different modules to offer tools, resources, and an enhanced skill set to parents, youth, and families: 

(1) Dialectics, strength, and acceptance;

(2) Mindfulness;

(3) Distress tolerance;

(4) Emotional regulation;

(5) Interpersonal effectiveness; 

(6) Child directed skills;

(7) Parent directed skills. 

Each interactive unit is designed to help individuals through a process of increasing self-awareness; working towards balance; acceptance of change and challenges; and learning to have thoughtful reactions to one’s surroundings, so as to avoid making situations worse.

The model is derived from Dialectical Behavior Theory (DBT), which focuses on learning about how to regulate emotions and more effective strategies to respond to life’s demands. The modules can be applied to a stand-alone setting, or in an on-going educational format with parents, youth, and families.

The goal is to connect the DBT-informed skills and tools provided in the model with methods of parenting, commands, and discipline in order to prevent child abuse and neglect. This is practiced through active engagement including activities, movies, discussion, and other forms of experiential learning throughout the parent training program.

In "Foundations for Success," the IPIP model was presented to a group of faith community members in a train-the-trainer model, in the hopes of creating a usable and accessible child abuse prevention program which can be implemented at the local and grassroots level. While we have just recently completed the training series and offered follow-up coaching sessions, we look forward to the implementation of these parent training programs.

For more information on this program or to learn about this model, please contact Elena Calafell, Director of Best Practices Institute at Illinois Center for Violence Prevention at ecalafell@icvp.org.