Comparing the Effects of Parent Management Training and Parenting Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Externalizing Behavior Problems Among Preschool Children

The present study aimed to compare the effects of parent management training and parenting acceptance and commitment therapy on externalizing behavior problems among preschool children. The research method was semi-experimental including pretest-posttest design and a control group. The research population consisted of all mothers with preschool children with externalizing behavior problems in Najafabad. The statistical sample included 45 mothers who were voluntarily selected regarding entrance criteria and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Independent variables were parent management training and parenting acceptance and commitment therapy that were held during 10 sessions (each session lasted 90 minutes), while the control group received no intervention. The research instrument was Eyberg´ Child Behavior Inventory. The results of the repeated measures variance analysis and Bonferroni post hoc test showed that the scores of behavior problems have decreased significantly in the experimental groups compared to the control group. Also, there was a significant difference between the effects of parenting acceptance and commitment therapy and parent management training (p<0.01). It could be concluded that parenting interventions may be helpful for children’s externalizing behavior problems and can be used for educational workshops or parenting counseling.