Abstract
The effectiveness of a community-based parent education and support program in improving risk factors associated with physical child abuse (i.e., parental stress, impaired parent-child interactions, verbal and physical aggression, and poor quality of the overall home environment) was tested. Pre- and posttest data were collected on 116 families for three structured programs and every three months for one ongoing support group. Level of program involvement was framed as duration (length of time) and intensity (programming per week). Strongest gains were made by parents who participated in the more intensive programs. Especially notable in regard to the most intensive program, was the mandatory parent and child components, four contacts per week, clear identification of risk factors, and the provision of transportation when needed. These findings have important implications for targeting service delivery for families with preschoolers at risk of physical child abuse.
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