Evaluating the effectiveness of universal parental training program (ACT) through the use of observation

• Grant number: 13/05007-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Psychological Treatment and Prevention
• Principal Investigator: Lúcia Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Williams
• Grantee: Luciana Barbalho Pontes
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Considering the high rates of violence against children in Brazil and the harmful effects that such violence leads to cognitive, motor and social development of children, prevention of child abuse becomes imperative. Efforts in secondary and tertiary prevention of violence have been conducted in Brazil, however, studies aimed at primary prevention of violence are still scarce. This study intend to evaluate the efficacy of an anti-violence program of universal parental training, developed by the American Psychological Association, on the parental behavior of parents or caregivers of a midsize Brazilian city. To assess the effects of the intervention will be used: Dimensions of Discipline Inventory (DDI), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Social Problem-Solving Inventory - Revised (SPSI-R) and Observation Protocol, besides the instruments included in the actual program. Furthermore, the observation of caregiver-child interaction will still be held before and after the intervention, in a house with lab-way mirror and camera equipment in order to compare the results of the instruments with the observed behavior. 48 parents or caregivers and their children aged 6-8 years will participate in the study. The design to be used is experimental, with equivalent measures of pre-test/post-test/follow-up and control and experimental groups. The observational data will be subjected to reliability calculations and their qualitative data described and interpreted. Instrument data will be statistically analyzed and the results compared between pre-test, post-test and follow-up, within and between groups.