School-Based Parent Training: An Alternative for Parents Predicted to Demonstrate Low Teaching Proficiency following Group Training

Although parents of mentally retarded children generally increase in teaching proficiency following behavioral parent training, recent studies have identified characteristics of parents who benefit less. Twenty mothers who were predicted to achieve low teaching proficiency in a group training program were selected for an alternative summer school-based program. A modified group training program minimized didactic inputs and stressed more action-oriented ones, including classroom observation, active teaching, and videotaping with feedback. Eighty five percent of mothers completed training, and gains were significant for mothers’ knowledge of behavioral principles, teaching skills, and reported child self-help skills. At a six month follow-up, mothers evaluated the program highly. The main limitation was that by the follow-up, the extent and quality of parents’ teaching at home did not differ from pre-training levels.