Parenting groups, how long is enough? The efficacy of a community-run Parents Plus Early Years Program as a preschool parenting intervention of modifiable duration

Evidence shows that low-intensity community parenting interventions are effective in addressing child behavioral problems. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Parents Plus Early Years (PPEY) parenting intervention delivered as a single workshop or a seven-week course to a non-clinical community sample by trained preschool practitioners. A between groups, repeated measures, matched pairs design was used. 121 parents of preschool aged children participated in a PPEY seven-week course (N=89) or a single workshop (N=32). Participants were compared pre-intervention and seven weeks later on measures of child difficulties and prosocial behavior and parental satisfaction and stress. A paired samples t-test found that parents reported the seven-week intervention significantly improved child prosocial behavior. Both group formats significantly improved child difficulties, parental satisfaction, and stress. The seven-week group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in parental stress and satisfaction than the workshop group. Effect sizes showed that while both groups were beneficial, the seven-week group produced greater parent-reported gains. Findings suggest that single session parenting workshops are beneficial, though the longer courses are likely to facilitate a greater magnitude of change. Further study using a control group and follow-up testing is suggested.