Success-based, noncoercive treatment of oppositional behavior in children from violent homes.
OBJECTIVE
Errorless compliance training is a success-based, noncoercive intervention for children with severe oppositional behavior. The strategy involves hierarchical introduction of more demanding parental requests at a gradual pace that greatly reduces noncompliance and obviates the need for constraining consequences (e.g., time-out). In this study, this approach was evaluated as a treatment for severe disciplinary problems in children from violent homes.


METHODS
Participants were 15 children (aged 3-10 years) and their mothers. All participants had experienced long-term family violence. Using a multiple-baseline design, the authors trained parents in a group format and conducted observations of child compliance in the home throughout the intervention.


RESULTS
Observations indicated improvements in generalized child compliance that were maintained up to 6 months posttreatment. Pre-/post maternal reports indicated significant reductions in maternal perception of child noncompliance, externalizing and internalizing problems, and parenting stress.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers have noted a dearth of empirically supported interventions for children from violent homes. Errorless compliance training may help to fill this void, as it appears well suited to treatment of difficulties encountered by these youngsters and their parents.
University of Toronto, Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, Ontario, Canada.
J M
JM
Ducharme
L
L
Atkinson
L
L
Poulton
D000328:Adult; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome