Assessing the Effectiveness of the Incredible Years Parent Training to Parents of Young Children with ADHD Symptoms - a Preliminary Report

Trillingsgaard, T., Trillingsgaard, A., Webster-Stratton, C. (2014). Assessing the effectiveness of the ‘Incredible Years parent training’ to parents of young children with ADHD symptoms– a preliminary report. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 55, 538–545.  DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12155

Background: This study examined the effectiveness of an evidence-based parent training program in a real-world Scandinavian setting.

Method: Parents of 36 young children with or at risk of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) self-referred to participate in the Incredible Years Parent Training Program (IYPT) through a Danish early intervention clinic. Using a benchmarking approach, we compared self-report data with data from a recent efficacy study.

Results: Eight out of nine outcome measures showed comparable or higher magnitude of effect from pretest to posttest. Effects were maintained or improved across six months.

Conclusions: The methodology of this study exemplifies a rigorous but feasible approach to assessing effectiveness when evidence-based U.S. protocols are transferred into the existing Scandinavian service delivery. Findings suggest that IYPT can be implemented successfully as an easy-access early intervention to families of children with or at risk of ADHD.

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