Overview
When combined with everyday stressors, conflicts between parents and their children can quickly get out of control, which may lead to the use of excessive or harsh forms of discipline. In the Partnerships for Families project, the University of Pittsburgh is collaborating with 10 local community agencies in Allegheny and Butler Counties who work with parents and children. Families involved with the study receive community mental health services. Some of the parents and children in the study are involved in frequent conflicts or in situations where physical discipline may be of concern. The study compares different types of counseling in order to show what methods are most effective for treatment.
- The main goal of the program is to encourage alternative methods of interaction that can improve parent-child relationships and decrease conflict within families.
- Parents and children receiving services at one of our 10 partner agencies are eligible to participate in this study.
- Research assessments are done at the agency or in the family's home.
- Parents and children participate in interviews every six months for a total of six interviews.
- Parents and children are reimbursed for their participation. More information can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.
Partnerships for Families is led by David J. Kolko, PhD, professor of psychiatry, psychology, and pediatrics. This program is one of few interventions with scientific support for reducing physical discipline or force in the family. This is the first rigorous study to determine if the program is feasible and effective when used in community settings.
"Often, we determine what treatments work well in the very controlled settings of university and hospital-based clinics, but we don’t always investigate how well these therapies work in the real world,” said Kolko, principal investigator of the study. “In developing our treatment, it was important to bring what we have learned about helping parents and children interact successfully without using physical discipline to a new collaboration with partners in the community who deal with challenging family issues everyday.”
The project has the support of the Allegheny County Office of Children, Youth, and Families.
