Generality of treatment effects from treated to untreated behaviors resulting from a parent training program

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the generalization of treatment effects from treated to untreated behaviors in aparent training program. Twelve noncompliant, clinic‐referredchildrenand their mothers served as subjects. All 12 mother‐child pairs participated in a parent training program and all children demonstrated increases in compliance to maternal commands as determined by home observations prior to and after treatment. A significant decrease in other child deviant behavior (e.g., tantrums, aggression, crying) which was not treated occurred, indicating that treatment effects generalized to untreated behaviors. A nonclinic comparison group was also included in the study. These 12 children were more compliant and less deviant than the clinic childrenpriorto, but not after, treatment of the clinic group. Implications of the results are discussed.