A randomized controlled trial of a telehealth parenting intervention: A mixed-disability trial.
Eight online Triple P lessons plus weekly phone coaching cut parent-reported behavior problems by a third in families of children with mixed disabilities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Sharon and her team ran a true experiment. They split the families of kids with mixed disabilities into two groups. One group got the online Triple P course plus phone coaching. The other group stayed on the usual clinic wait-list.
Kids were 2-12 years old with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or ADHD. Parents logged into eight video modules at home. A therapist called once a week to review homework.
What they found
Right after the course, parents who took TPOL-D used more praise and less harsh discipline. They also felt surer of their skills. The wait-list parents did not change.
Three months later the TPOL-D parents still felt confident. Their ratings of child problem behavior dropped by a third. Wait-list scores stayed flat.
How this fits with other research
Solares et al. (2019) built on this idea. They added delayed video feedback and a train-the-coach step. Their telehealth package taught aides to run incidental teaching. Both studies show remote training works, but Leslie’s model spreads faster because one BCBA trains many coaches.
D'Elia et al. (2014) also cut child behavior problems, yet they used low-intensity TEACCH delivered in preschool plus home visits. TPOL-D got similar gains without anyone leaving the house. The method differs, but the parent outcome is the same.
Dirks et al. (2016) looked at stress in parents of toddlers with hearing loss and found no extra stress from the diagnosis itself. Sharon’s study moves one step further: it shows that when you give parents real tools, stress and problem behavior both drop.
Why it matters
You can ship Triple P through a laptop and still move the needle on behavior. No drive time, no childcare puzzle. Try adding a short booster call three months out to keep gains alive. If your wait-list is long, TPOL-D is a low-cost bridge that parents can start tonight.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The quality of parenting a child receives has a major impact on development, wellbeing and future life opportunities. AIMS: This study examined the efficacy of Triple P Online - Disability (TPOL-D) a telehealth intervention for parents of children with a disability. METHODS: Ninety-eight parents and carers of children aged 2-12 years diagnosed with a range of developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities were randomly assigned to either the intervention (51) or treatment-as-usual (47) control group. RESULTS: At post-intervention parents receiving the TPOL-D intervention demonstrated significant improvements in parenting practices and parenting self-efficacy, however a significant change in parent-reported child behavioral and emotional problems was not detected. At 3-month follow up intervention gains were maintained and/or enhanced. A significant decrease in parent-reported child behavioral and emotional problems was also detected at this time. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that TPOL-D is a promising telehealth intervention for a mixed-disability group.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.04.005