Improving Child Compliance Through Self-Instructional Parent Training Materials

Abstract Parents used self-instructional booklets to increase their children's (age 3-8) compliance. In each of the 17 families, a multiple-baseline design across three problems, compliance and two others, was used. Parent data indicate median improvement of 46% of the maximum possible from baseline means, with 14 of 17 children showing improvement. Nearly all parent final consumer ratings were positive. Graphs suggest nine children improved due to the program, four improved with unclear results, and four did not. Observer data, taken twice weekly, indicate median percentage of maximum possible improvement of 33%, with 14 of 17 children improving. Parent and observer percentage possible improvement correlated .55 (p < .05). All interobserver reliabilities exceeded 80% agreement weighted for occurrence and nonoccurrence. Similar percent agreements between parent and observer data for one hour sessions were all over 74% if sessions in which either recorder obtained a frequency of five or less were dropped. However, the independence of observer and parent recordings is unclear. Results indicate that, using self-instructional materials alone, parents could effectively increase the compliance of their children.