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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE This study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of the Stepping Stones Triple P (SSTP) for mothers of developmentally delayed children.
METHODS The participants were 36 mothers of children using a development support classroom after a medical examination in A city. The children, aged 2 to 6 years old, were suspected to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on Pervasive Developmental Disorders Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS) scores of 9 points or more. The investigation randomly assigned them to two groups-"the intervention group" and "the control group"-and carried out SSTP. The intervention group answered the questionnaire before and after intervention, three months later. The control group also answered the questionnaire 2 months before the intervention, before and after intervention. Thus, each group answered three times. The questionnaire used the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a Parenting Style scale (PS), the Relationship Quality Index (RQI), and the Japanese version of a Maltreatment scale (JM). For effectiveness of the intervention before and after, an analysis of covariance was carried out on the scores from the first and second questionnaires in the intervention and control groups. For effectiveness 3 months after the intervention, a repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed on the scale scores from the first to the third questionnaire in the intervention group.
RESULTS The average age of the children was 3.7±1.4 years old, and the average PARS score was 20±6.8. They were suspected to have ASD. The average SDQ score was 76.1±18.8, and their intelligence was borderline. A significant difference was seen before and after the intervention in SDQ (the issue of action, the total of the difficulty), PS (overreaction, gab, general score), and JM scores; no significant difference was seen in RQI scores. Three months after the intervention, a lasting effect was seen in SDQ (the issue of action, the total of the difficulty, hyperkinetic) and PS (all items) scores in the intervention group.
CONCLUSIONS Receiving SSTP caused a positive change in the mothers' parenting and improved the problem behavior of the children. It was suggested that SSTP was connected to the prevention of child abuse because it helped stop parents from hitting their children.
Language: ja |