Incorporating participant preferences into intervention decision-making may optimize health outcomes by improving participant engagement. We describe the rationale for a preference-based approach to the personalization of community-based interventions. Compensating for the limitations of traditional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and partially randomized preference trials (PRPTs), we employed a doubly randomized preference trial in the present study. Families (N=129) presenting to community mental health clinics for child conduct problems were randomized to choice or no-choice conditions. Within each condition, parents were again randomized, or offered choices between home-and clinic-based, individual and group versions of a parent training program or services-as-usual. Participants were assessed at baseline, and treatment retention data were gathered. Families assigned to the choice condition were significantly less likely to drop out of treatment than those in the no-choice condition. In the choice condition, in-home treatment was the preferred modality, and across conditions, families were less likely to be retained in group and clinic modalities. Research on preferences may boost participant engagement and inform shared decision-making.

Despite extensive literature on parental monitoring, few studies have focused on father-youth solicitation in particular and none on solicitation via communication technology. To address this gap, this study explored the relationships between fathers' online and in-person solicitation of their adolescent and emerging adult children, and the youth's internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors. A sample of US fathers (N = 158) reported on solicitation patterns, use of technology, and their child's behaviors. The results revealed differences by demographics, and an inverse trend between online and in-person solicitation in relation to internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that online solicitation of information from the youth's friends was related to greater internalizing and externalizing, and less prosocial behavior. These findings support research suggesting that some forms of online solicitation may be interpreted by adolescents and emerging adults as intrusive and a violation of privacy.

The results supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the five scales of the STIC Initial. Clinical or methodological significance of this article: The clinical significance of this article is that it demonstrates that the STIC Initial should be useful for identifying treatment targets including both which systems, in addition to the facets within each system, that require targeting. The methodological significance is twofold. First, the use of CFA for testing convergent and discriminant validity is still relatively rare. Second, we demonstrated how to use CFA for a more stringent test of discriminant validity compared with the original approach described by Cole ( 1987 ).

This study examined parents’ perceptions of the usefulness of various sources of parenting information including: family members and friends, professionals, and various media sources, such as books and the Internet. Applying a modification of the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking to parenting, this study examined associations between parents’ demographic characteristics, relevant personal experiences, and their perceptions of the usefulness of parenting information sources. Data were collected using an online survey (N = 1,339 parents of children 18 years old and younger). Results indicated that parents of preschool-aged children viewed family members, professionals, and books/magazines to be more useful than did parents of teenagers. Mothers reported all sources that were included in the survey as more useful sources of parenting information than did fathers, with the exception of their spouse/partner and information pamphlets. Fathers reported their spouse/partner to be a more useful source than the other sources offered in the survey. Parents of children with disabilities viewed their own parents and professionals as more useful sources of parenting information than did parents of children with no disabilities. Implications and recommendations for family life educators to consider both demographics and parent’s experience when designing parenting information dissemination efforts are discussed.