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Executive functions (EFs) are foundational for the development of cognitive and social capacities critical for school readiness. The importance of promoting EF skills prior to school entry is increasing recognized but few preschool classroom-based interventions specifically target EF skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a classroom-based intervention, Red Light Purple Light (RLPL), to enhance 4-year-old children's EF skills. Fifteen early childhood education (ECE) centers in Auckland, New Zealand participated. There was a total of 212 consented 4-year-old children across the 15 centers. Centers were randomized to either the RLPL intervention (twice weekly circle time games sessions over 8 weeks) or a waitlist control group (the usual curriculum). Children's EF skills were measured at pre-, post-, and 4-month postintervention using the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulder (HTKS) and Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) tasks. Teacher ratings of behavioral self-regulation were collected with the Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS). Hierarchical linear mixed models were used to estimate the intervention effects, taking into account baseline scores, English vocabulary, age, and gender. Post-intervention interviews were conducted with 15 teachers. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for increases in EFs, based on DCCS scores. At 4-month follow-up, there were greater gains in CBRS scores for intervention group children. Teacher interviews indicated additional benefits of participation for children in self-control, language, and social skills. The study provides support for the effectiveness of the RLPL intervention, delivered by teachers in preschool classrooms, for improving children's EF skills.

This study compared father-son and mother-son involvement in two-parent families from early to middle childhood. Ninety-four families were recruited for a three-year follow-up study that began when the children were four years old. At each time point, in comparison to mothers, fathers were less accessible to their son on weekdays, and spent more one-on-one time with their son on weekend days. Across the three-year period, differences were evident in patterns of father-son and mother-son participation in play and learning activities. Results revealed that parent-child conversations were a rich source of parental involvement during middle childhood with many boys having frequent conversations on a range of topics with both parents: covering shared activities and interests, relationships, daily activities, or involving cognitive stimulation. Findings highlight the importance of obtaining data from both fathers and mothers to provide insight into patterns of continuity and change in parental involvement over time.

The study was a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Group Triple P Program for Chinese immigrant parents living in New Zealand. Sixty-seven Chinese immigrant parents of a 5- to 9-year-old child with disruptive behaviour problems were randomly allocated to either an intervention or a waitlist group. Parents completed measures of child adjustment problems, general parenting practices, parenting practices in children's academic lives, parental adjustment, parental teamwork, and family relationships at pre-, post-, and 4-month follow-up. Intervention group ratings of programme satisfaction were collected following programme completion. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for improvements in child behaviour, parenting practices, parental teamwork, and parenting in the child academic context. All intervention effects, except for parental teamwork, were maintained at 4-month follow-up. There were no significant intervention effects for parental adjustment, however, medium effect sizes were found at post-intervention and follow-up. A high level of programme satisfaction was reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective 3-year longitudinal study investigated preschool paternal and maternal parenting predictors of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) in a community sample of 93 school-age boys. Participants were recruited on the basis of inattention-hyperactivity at age 4 and fathers and mothers were observed interacting with their sons. Teachers, fathers, and mothers reported children's ADHD symptoms and impairment. Results from dimensional analysis showed that less observed paternal sensitivity and maternal positive regard predicted higher levels of inattentiveness in middle childhood, and that intrusive paternal behavior was predictive of hyperactive-impulsive behavior at school. In categorical analysis, less maternal warmth and sensitivity were predictive of later ADHD. These predictions held after statistical adjustment for the effects of preschool ADHD behaviors and conduct problems. At follow-up, parents of boys with ADHD reported more negative child-parent relationship perceptions than comparison parents. Findings highlight the importance of examining responsive parenting behaviors of both fathers and mothers in relation to multi-informant ratings of ADHD symptoms.

Participants were 933 fathers participating in a large-scale household survey of parenting practices in Queensland Australia. Although the majority of fathers reported having few problems with their children, a significant minority reported behavioral and emotional problems and 5% reported that their child showed a potentially problematic level of oppositional and defiant behavior. Reports of child problems were associated with fathers' levels of personal stress and socioeconomic disadvantage. Approximately half of all fathers reported the use of one or more coercive parenting strategies (shouting and yelling, hitting the child with their hand or with an object) with fathers' use of hitting being associated with child behavior difficulties. Fathers reported low rates of help seeking or participation in parenting courses, with socially disadvantaged fathers being less likely to complete parenting programs than other fathers. Implications for research on increasing fathers' participation rates in parenting programs are discussed and directions for future research highlighted.

This study compared the peer functioning of a community sample of preschool boys with pervasive hyperactivity (N=33) and comparison boys (N=34), and examined the extent to which any differences in peer functioning between these groups could be explained by comorbid child conduct problems and parenting factors. The quality of boys' peer relations was assessed on the basis of teacher and observer ratings of peer-related behavior at preschool. The quality of parenting and boys' behavior at home were assessed using the Parental Account of Children's Symptoms Interview, the Parenting Scale, and videotaped mother-son interactions. Boys with hyperactive behavior problems showed higher rates of aggressive, noncompliant, and nonsocial behaviors, and lower rates of prosocial behavior and peer acceptance than boys in the comparison group. These between-group differences in social functioning remained significant following statistical control for the effects of conduct problems, highlighting the wide range of peer difficulties associated with preschool hyperactivity. Results of further analyses suggest that the quality of early mother-child interactions and the behavioral features of hyperactivity may make unique contributions to the development of peer relationship difficulties in preschool children with pervasive hyperactivity.

Objective: This randomized control trial evaluated the efficacy of an online self-help program in a sample of parents of preschoolers with ADHD symptoms. Method: Parents were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 27) or the delayed intervention group (n = 26). Child behavior measures were completed by mothers, fathers, and teachers, and parenting measures were completed by mothers. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses indicated significant post-intervention improvements in mother-rated child hyperactivity/inattention, restlessness/impulsivity, defiance/aggression, social functioning, and teacher-rated prosocial behavior, as well as significant improvements in maternal over-reactivity, verbosity, laxness, positive parenting, parenting satisfaction, self-efficacy, stress, and depression. At 6-month follow-up, effects were maintained for maternal over-reactivity and verbosity, parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy, and parental stress and depression. Conclusion: This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of an online self-help parenting program in reducing preschool inattentive behavior difficulties, and in increasing parenting competence, satisfaction in the parenting role, and maternal well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-intensity parenting groups, such as the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program Discussion Groups, appear to be a cost-effective intervention for child conduct problems. Several studies evaluating a Triple P Discussion Group on disobedience found promising results for improving child and parent outcomes. However, a sufficient exemplar training approach that incorporates generalization promotion strategies may assist parents to more flexibly apply positive parenting principles to a broader range of child target behaviors and settings, leading to greater change. We compared the effects of sufficient exemplar training to an existing narrowly focused low-intensity intervention. Participants were 78 families with a 5-8 year-old child. Sufficient exemplar training resulted in more robust changes in child behavior and superior outcomes for mothers on measures of parenting behavior, parenting self-efficacy, mental health, and perceptions of partner support at post-intervention and 6-month follow-up. These results indicate that teaching sufficient exemplars may promote generalization leading to enhanced intervention outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined parenting styles and culturally‐specific parenting practices of Korean immigrant mothers (N = 128) and fathers (N = 79) of children (ages 6–10) in New Zealand and the parenting predictors of child behaviour. Participants completed questionnaires on parenting styles and practices, and parental perceptions of child behaviour. Both parents indicated a high degree of devotion (Mo jeong) and involvement in care and education of their child with fathers were more likely than mothers to utilise shaming/love withdrawal and modesty encouragement. Results of regression analyses showed that there were some differences between mothers and fathers in the parenting predictors of child internalising and externalising behaviour problems and prosocial behaviour. Across the whole sample, there were contrasting relationships for authoritative parenting styles, devoted/involved parenting and modesty encouragement/shaming/non‐reasoning parenting practices with child behaviour problems. Results indicated a blend of Western and Korean parenting practices were being utilised after settling in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared father–son and mother–son involvement in two-parent families from early to middle childhood. Ninety-four families were recruited for a three-year follow-up study that began when the children were four years old. At each time point, in comparison to mothers, fathers were less accessible to their son on weekdays, and spent more one-on-one time with their son on weekend days. Across the three-year period, differences were evident in patterns of father–son and mother–son participation in play and learning activities. Results revealed that parent–child conversations were a rich source of parental involvement during middle childhood with many boys having frequent conversations on a range of topics with both parents: covering shared activities and interests, relationships, daily activities, or involving cognitive stimulation. Findings highlight the importance of obtaining data from both fathers and mothers to provide insight into patterns of continuity and change in parental involvement over time. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]