Exploring Family Profiles in Explaining Heterogeneity in Parenting Program Engagement and Effectiveness

Parenting programs have proven effective in reducing disruptive child behavior. However, not all families benefit equally, and, to date, we have little insight into who benefits more or less, and why. One possible solution is to explore how different potential moderators cluster together in individual families and whether such family profiles predict who benefits more or less from these programs. This study explores: (1) how family, child, and parenting risk factors for disruptive behavior cluster together in families enrolled in the popular and evidence-based Incredible Years Parenting Program using latent profile analyses; (2) how family profiles relate to covariate family characteristics; and (3) whether profiles predict program engagement (i.e., number of sessions attended by caregivers), and effectiveness of (i.e., pre-post changes in disruptive behavior). Individual participant data from six studies across four countries (Norway, the Netherlands, England, Portugal) were used, including a total sample of 772 families with children aged 2.5 to 9 years (M = 5.14; SD = 1.10; 58.0% boys). Families could be profiled into a low and high risk profile, which differed on most child and family (but not parenting) risk factors as well as on covariate family characteristics, such as severity of disruptive behavior. Profile membership predicted engagement in, but not effectiveness of, the program. These findings provide useful insights into the heterogeneity in families participating in parenting programs, although there is a need for further research on how such differences may relate to differences in program effectiveness.