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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this article by Hall was twofold. First, it offered a review of existing treatment models for parent-adolescent conflict. Second, it proposed a change in the existing practices of social worker practitioners from non-empirical to empirical treatment approaches to benefit the social work profession. He offered a practice model to support this latter objective.
METHODOLOGY:
This study was a non-experimental review of the literature concerning conflict between parents and adolescents. The study reviewed various treatment approaches that offered interventions for such conflict. Conflict has been described as: not enough positive or supportive communication; too much negative or defensive communication; poor problem solving skills between parents and adolescents; and poor negotiation skills. The author closed his review of treatment approaches for parent/adolescent conflict by proposing an empirically based practice model.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The author first specified that there existed three main approaches to treatment of parent-adolescent problems, these were: a) treatment of the child chiefly and the parents incidentally; b) treatment involving the entire family; and c) treatment with the parents only. The article then reviewed the existing literature for these three forms of treatment.He concluded that: a) primary intervention with the adolescent only had not been thoroughly evaluated, though some evidence existed that this approach might be viable, however stronger arguments existed for direct involvement of parents; b) though treatment with both parents and adolescents was a much-used approach, results had been mixed (it appeared that some techniques may benefit conflict resolution, but more research and model-building was needed); c) communication training solely for parents of adolescents had not been extensively reported or evaluated. The few studies existing were of poor research design (no random assignments, lack of control groups) and had unreliable assessments (self-report only).
The author then closed his review of existing literature by introducing a parent-adolescent conflict treatment model described in behavioral, cognitive, and affective terms. His model was based on an earlier empirically based model of parent-adolescent conflict having specified treatment goals. The author then advised that the social worker needed to know how to work toward the goals. Several treatment procedures were mentioned: a) provide knowledge about effective communication skills through brief lectures and reading materials; b) demonstrate effective communication skills through roleplaying by skilled professionals; c) train parents and teens to learn new communication skills through structured role playing; d) train parents and adolescents on how to manage stress; and e) train parents and teens on how to reflect on their own and each other's behavior. He concluded with a listing of empirically derived treatment procedures which focused on training the client parents and adolescents to develop effective communication skills and develop stress and anger management techniques.
AUTHOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS:
The author noted that though he had specified a model for parent-adolescent conflict treatment, there still remained the continuing problem of empirical support. He admitted that confirmation for individual techniques that might work were still lacking and that valid testing of the principles, treatment procedures, and development of recommendations was still needed. He suggested that as a beginning social workers use the assessment battery developed by Prinz.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Literature Review
KW - Adult Treatment
KW - Parent Child Conflict
KW - Parent Child Relations
KW - Parent Treatment
KW - Juvenile Treatment
KW - Family Relations
KW - Family Conflict
KW - Family Treatment
KW - Psychotherapy |