Abstract

This study examined the relationship between perceived parenting skills and youth externalizing symptoms throughout the course of routine treatment of youth receiving services in a community mental health setting. Specifically, this study investigated whether changes in parenting skills were associated with changes in three dimensions of youth externalizing behaviors (behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, social problems). Participants were 401 youth (aged 4-17, mean aged 10.7, 48% female) and their parents/guardians. At regular intervals throughout treatment, parents completed the Treatment Support Measure (TSM) to assess perceived parenting skills along with the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ) to assess youth externalizing symptoms. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that changes in perceived parenting skills were not significantly related to changes youth behavioral dysfunction, interpersonal relations, or social problems. However, parenting skills and all facets of externalizing significantly changed throughout the course of therapy and higher parenting skills were associated with lower levels of youth externalizing throughout therapy. Parenting skill appears to require further study as a key factor involved in youth psychotherapy outcomes in real world settings, especially in relation to youth externalizing symptoms.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2017-05-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd9246

Keywords

child psychotherapy, outcome research, parenting skills, youth externalizing

Language

english

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