Treatment of child externalizing behavior problems: a comprehensive review and meta–meta-analysis on effects of parent-based interventions on parental characteristics

Abstract

This is the first meta-meta-analysis examining the effects of parent-based interventions for children with externalizing behavior problems on parental characteristics (parenting, parental perceptions, parental mental health, parental relationship quality). Parent training interventions are recognized as evidence-based interventions for the treatment of externalizing behavior problems, although meta-analytic effects are heterogeneous. The objective of the present study was to comprehensively combine meta-analytic results on parent training interventions to arrive at valid effect predictions. Electronic databases were searched (PsycINFO, Medline, PubMed). In total, 11 meta-analyses were included that mainly comprised parents of children under the age of 13 years. Analyses were based on random effects models. Effect estimates were transformed to standardized mean differences (SMD) and corrected for primary study overlap. Results revealed a significant moderate overall effect for parenting (SMD 0.53) as well as for parents' report of parenting (SMD 0.60) and parental perceptions (SMD 0.52). Effects remained stable to follow-up. Results for observational data, parental mental health and parental relationship quality were small and only partially significant. Considerable heterogeneity within results was revealed. Overall, parent training interventions proved to be effective in improving parental characteristics for parents of children with externalizing behavior problems. Effectiveness was stronger regarding characteristics explicitly targeted by interventions. The findings should encourage health-care providers to apply evidence-based parent training interventions.

Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Upper Limb Function and Balance in Stroke Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Meta-Analysis

“…For those using the Q value, the heterogeneity score needed to be re-estimated for cross-review comparison. Larger values indicated higher heterogeneity, and P <.05 indicated significant differences in heterogeneity [ 15 ]. Because of the small number of included studies, further subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were not conducted in this study.…”

Meta-meta-analysis on the effectiveness of parent-based interventions for the treatment of child externalizing behavior problems

“…To clarify the magnitude of effects and to facilitate the implementation of parent-based interventions in clinical practice, the aim of the present study is to conduct a comprehensive review and meta-meta-analysis summarizing all existing meta-analytic estimates concerning the impact of parent-based interventions on child behavior in a population of children with externalizing behavior problems. The effects on parental characteristics will be presented elsewhere [ 18 ].…”

Variables which predict maternal self‐efficacy: A hierarchical linear regression analysis

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