Allen, K. D., & Warzak, W. J. (2000).
The problem of parental nonadherence in clinical behavior analysis: Effective treatment is not enough.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
33, 373-391.
Applied behavior analysts have developed many effective
interventions for common childhood problems and have repeatedly
demonstrated that childhood behavior responds to properly managed
contingencies. The success of these interventions is dependent
upon their basic effectiveness, as demonstrated in the
literature, their precise delivery by the clinician to the
parent, and adherence to or consistent implementation of the
intervention. Unfortunately, arranging the consistent
implementation of effective parenting strategies is a significant
challenge for behavior analysts who work in homes, schools, and
outpatient or primary care clinics. Much has been done to address
issues of adherence or implementation in the clinic, but
relatively little has been done to increase our understanding of
the contingencies that affect parental adherence beyond the
supervised clinic environment. An analysis of the contingencies
that strengthen or weaken adherence might suggest strategies to
improve implementation outside the clinic setting. What follows
is an analysis of the variables associated with adherence by
parents to recommendations designed to solve common childhood
problems.
DESCRIPTORS: _adherence, parent training, compliance, treatment,
applied research