The effect of parent education program for preschool children with developmental disabilities: A randomized controlled trial.

AIM This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a parent education program, the Happy Parenting program, for Chinese preschool children with developmental disabilities. METHODS This study adopted randomized controlled trial design without blinding. Participants were randomized into intervention group (n=62) who were offered the Happy Parenting program delivered by educational psychologists and trainee educational psychologists, and a control group (n=57) who were offered a parent talk after the intervention group had completed treatment. Parent participants were requested to complete questionnaires on their children's behavior, their parenting stress, and discipline strategies. RESULTS Analysis was by intention-to-treat. The results indicated significant decrease in child problem behaviors, parenting stress and dysfunctional discipline strategies in the intervention group at post-intervention. CONCLUSION This study provided promising evidence on the effectiveness of a parent education program, the Happy Parenting program, for Chinese preschool children with developmental disabilities.