ABCS OF IN-HOME PROBLEM-SOLVING: HELPING PARENTS HELP TROUBLED CHILDREN

THE PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT, THROUGH VIDEOTAPE TRAINING AND SUPPORT PRINT MATERIALS, CHILD WELFARE PRACTITIONERS CAN USE THE ABC MODEL TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN MANAGING THE BEHAVIOR OF CHALLENGING CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER, ADOPTIVE, AND BIRTH HOMES. THE TRAINING PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE A VIDEOTAPE, SUPPORTING PRINT MATERIALS, AND A SELF-TEST. THE VIDEOTAPE WILL HAVE TWO PARTS. PART I WILL USE VIGNETTES BASED ON FAMILY INTERACTIONS AND WILL INCLUDE EXAMPLES OF PURE DESCRIPTIVE PRAISE AND POSITIVE SCAN. PARTII WILL CONTAIN A MODEL HOME VISIT SHOWING A PROFESSIONAL WORKING WITH PARENTS TO APPLY THE MODEL TO A TYPICAL CHILD MANAGEMENT PROBLEM. THE VIDEOTAPE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A REFERENCE GUIDE CONTAINING A LIBRARY OF ABC PLANS THAT HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE WITH DISTURBED CHILDREN. THE PLANS WILL BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THOSE TYPICALLY SEEN BY TROUBLED YOUTH IN FAMILY SETTINGS. THE SELF-TEST WILL MEASURE THE COMPETENCY OF IN-SERVICE CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS TO APPLY THE ABC MODEL AND TO USE RELATED SKILLS. THE PROJECT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED IN COOPERATION WITH CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS IN LOUDOUN AND FAIRFAX COUNTIES, VIRGINIA. IN PHASE II, THE TRAINING PACKAGE WILL BE REVISED, EXPANDED,AND FULLY MARKET-TESTED WITH A BROAD USER AUDIENCE.