Mums and dads wanted for free positive parenting programme

New Zealand parents are invited to take part in a free research trial of an internationally successful positive parenting programme.

The Triple P Research Group at The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education is recruiting 180 parents to complete either an internet-based or workbook-based Positive Parenting Program. New Zealand is the first in the world to trial the internet-based version of Triple P. Feedback from parents will be used to evaluate its effectiveness against the traditional workbook-based version.

“We are looking for parents who have a 3 to 8 year-old child who is displaying moderate behavioural problems, such as tantruming, aggression, conflict with siblings or disruptive behaviour,” says Research Fellow Dr Cassy Dittman.

“This is an opportunity for parents to learn strategies that we know will reduce child behaviour problems and will increase their confidence as a parent, in their privacy of their own home and with complete confidentiality,” Dr Dittman says. “Our feedback suggests parents want support programmes which can be accessed via the web, so we are excited to be delivering our programme for the first time in this format. Using the internet has allowed us to provide much richer and engaging content with the use of podcasts, videos, text reminders and interactive elements.”

Parents will complete ten 30-minute modules on how to effectively deal with misbehaviour and how to foster positive parent-child relationships. They will also complete three one-hour questionnaires at various points throughout the programme and will be given a 15-minute phone consultation with a researcher to identify their own personal parenting goals. The strategies are based on 30 years of research by the Triple P Positive Parenting Program, and have previously helped thousands of parents in Australia.

The Triple P Research Group was established at the Faculty of Education in 2008 under the direction of Adjunct Professor Matt Sanders, who is also the Director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre at the University of Queensland. The study’s results will be used to refine the web-based support programme before it is made available more widely through schools, health professionals and organisations.

Parents will be randomly allocated in equal numbers to either the internet-based or workbook-based programme. Parents must have a broadband connection at home to enter the study.

To volunteer contact the research team on 09 623 8899 ext. 48778 or email tprg@auckland.ac.nz. For more information on Triple P visit www.triplep.net.