title: Parenting self-efficacy as a predictor of child psychotherapy outcomes in usual care: a multi-dimensional approach.
abstract: Three theorized dimensions of perceived parenting self-efficacy (Parental Connection, Psychological Autonomy, and Behavioral Influence) were used to predict psychotherapy outcomes in 271 youth (age = 4-17 years, mean age = 10.4, 42% girls) receiving routine outpatient services in a community mental health setting. We used individual growth curve modeling to examine patterns of change in self-efficacy domains and corresponding changes in parent-reported child symptoms. Parenting self-efficacy scores at pre-treatment did not predict treatment outcomes. Parenting self-efficacy scores for Parental Connection and Psychological Autonomy increased over the course of therapy, and increases in parenting self-efficacy dimensions (particularly Psychological Autonomy) were significantly associated with improvements in child symptoms over the course of treatment. Parenting self-efficacy appears to merit further study as a candidate mechanism of therapeutic change in child mental health treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, 291 TLRB, Provo, UT 84602, USA. jared_warren@byu.edu
authors.forename: Jared S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Layne
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016896:Treatment Outcome