Online Training for a New Parent-Child Assessment Tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Though quality parenting is widely recognized as key to children's healthy development, no observational assessment instrument has gained wide acceptance by family service providers. In fact many family service programs have long sought a practical & clinically relevant tool. This project aims to field test the Keys to Interactive Parenting Scale (KIPS), a newly developed practical parent-child interaction assessment tool specifically designed for use by providers who serve families with young children. KIPS adapts some items from a proven parent-child interaction research scale, and the development of additional items was guided by current research review and provider input. Preliminary studies suggest that KIPS offers a reliable, valid, and clinically relevant assessment of caregiver behavior. With a practical tool to assess parent-child interaction, providers can identify parenting strengths and needs, make informed interventions, monitor family progress and evaluate program outcomes. The Specific Aims of this project are to: 1) Train family service providers to administer KIPS reliably; 2) Field test the newly developed KIPS with providers in family service settings; 3) Assess utility and practicality of KIPS; 4) Assess reliability of KIPS administered in field, and 5) Refine the KIPS training process. Twenty family service providers and 100 families will be recruited to assess the utility and practicality of the KIPS prototype through provider surveys and focus groups. To assess field reliability, we will compare the scoring between providers and experts. In Phase II, we aim to develop an online training system. The combination of a practical and clinically useful instrument coupled with an online training can promote wide dissemination of KIPS at an acceptable cost. With a practical parent-child assessment tool, providers can build responsive parenting behaviors, prevent negative downward spirals, and promote perpetuating cycles of healthy parent-child interaction.