Teaching Parents to Code Disruptive Behavior: A Comparison of Methods

Clinicians who work with youth frequently rely on parents to contribute information via interview or questionnaires. These approaches may obscure precise measurement of behavior change. Training parents to observe specific target behaviors in the natural setting may be a superior strategy, but formal coder training for parents is not well-established. The current study compared parent accuracy in coding child aggression and noncompliance with the Behavior Record Card (BRC) under Standard (written instructions) and Enhanced (active teaching) training conditions. Study results highlight the differential impact of training, limitations of self-directed coder-training, and the need for research on integrating parent observations in treatment.