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The Development and Evaluation of a Natural Helpers’ Training Program to Increase the Engagement of Urban, Hispanic Families in Parent-Child Interacti

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Keywords:

Natural helpers, Parent-child interaction therapy, Disparities, Engagement, Parent training

Contact:

Linda Callejas, PhD

Abstract

Latina/o immigrant children are at increased risk for developing conduct disorders, and are simultaneously less likely to access services. Natural helpers are uniquely positioned to promote effective parent training programs to address service disparities in these communities. This study describes one effort to train natural helpers to increase engagement in parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based parent training program. An academic-community partnership prompted the development and evaluation of this natural helpers training program. Five natural helpers were trained to recruit Latina/o families into PCIT, address barriers to treatment, and support parents' skill development. Over the course of training, natural helpers increased their knowledge of PCIT and their ability to use and model treatment targeted parenting skills. Additional consultation was necessary to improve the natural helpers' abilities to conduct behavioral observations of parent skill use and provide feedback on these skills. Natural helpers expressed overall satisfaction with PCIT and the training program. Suggestions for incorporating natural helpers into PCIT services are discussed based on the strengths and challenges identified from the evaluation of this training program.

Citation

Bennett, M.L., Jent, J.F., Davis, E.M., Callejas, L.M., White, J.V. Acevedo-Polakovich, I.D., & Niec, L.N. (2016). The Development and Evaluation of a Natural Helpers’ Training Program to Increase the Engagement of Urban, Hispanic Families in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Children and Youth Services Review. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740916300871?via%3Dihub.