There has been a rise over the past several years in behavior problems among preschoolers. Young children who exhibit disruptive behavior are at increased risk of problematic outcomes later in life. Children from racial or ethnic minority groups and/or disadvantaged backgrounds may be at greater risk for behavioral problems. Therefore, interventions are needed before these behaviors become more entrenched. Parents of children with disruptive behaviors have reported higher parenting stress levels, which has a negative effect on parenting behaviors. Three models of parenting styles and behaviors are discussed, with a focus on the literature on African American parenting styles. To contribute to the literature addressing parenting training programs with African American populations, a case is presented as an example of the usefulness of an evidence-based behavioral family intervention with a low-income African American single parent family. Treatment recommendations are presented when applying evidence-based parenting programs with African American and other racial or ethnic minority groups.
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