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Common Sense Parenting (CSP)

Scientific Rating:
3
Promising Research Evidence
See scale of 1-5
Child Welfare System Relevance Level:
Medium
See descriptions of 3 levels

About This Program

The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. Common Sense Parenting (CSP) has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Parent Training.

Brief Description

Common Sense ParentingSM (CSP) is a group-based class for parents comprised of 6 weekly, 2-hour sessions led by a certified trainer who focuses on teaching practical skills to increase children’s positive behavior, decrease negative behavior, and model appropriate alternative behavior. Each class is formatted to include a review of the prior session, instruction of the new skill, modeled examples, skill practice/feedback, and a summary.

Goals of Common Sense Parenting (CSP):

Please check in the Brief Description section above for the program's goals. If they are not there, the program's representative has not provided these since we began requesting them in Fall 2010.

Target Population: Parents and other caregivers of children ages 6 - 16 years.

For parents/caregivers of children ages: 0 – 0

Essential Components

Each Common Sense ParentingSM (CSP) class is formatted to include a review of the prior session including homework, instruction of the new skill, modeled examples, skill practice/feedback, and a summary. The course components are organized as follows:

Session 1 – Parents are Teachers

  • Effective discipline
  • Describing children’s behaviors
  • Using consequences to change behaviors

Session 2 – Encouraging Good Behavior

  • Giving kids reasons
  • Using Effective Praise to increase positive behaviors

Session 3 – Preventing problems

  • Teaching social skills to children
  • Using Preventive Teaching to set children up for success

Session 4 – Correcting problem behavior

  • Staying calm
  • Using Corrective Teaching to stop problem behaviors and teach alternative behaviors

Session 5 – Teaching self-control

  • Safe home plans
  • Using Teaching Self-Control when children are not cooperating

Session 6 – Putting it all together

  • Holding family meetings
  • Establishing family routines and traditions
  • Developing a parenting plan for using all the CSP skills

Child/Adolescent Component

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) was not designed with a child component.

Parent/Caregiver Component

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) was designed with a parent/caregiver component that addresses the following presenting problems and symptoms for parents/caregivers of children ages 0 – 0:

  • Parenting challenges, have youth with behavior problems.

Group Format

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) was designed to be conducted in a group setting, and has been tested for use in a group setting.

Recommended group size:

Approximately 8 - 10 parents.

Testing References:

Burke, R. V., Thompson, R. W., Ruma, P. R., Schuchmann, L. F., & Martinez, R. J. (1994, November). Assessing treatment integrity across five replications of a parent training program. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Council on Family Relations, Minneapolis, MN.

Thompson, R. W., Ruma, P. R., Schuchmann, L. F., & Burke, R. V. (1996). A cost-effectiveness evaluation of parent training. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 5(4), 415-429.

Griffith, A. K. (in press). The use of a behavioral parent training program for parents of adolescents. Journal of At-Risk Issues.

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

  • Community Agency
  • Community Daily Living Settings
  • Hospital
  • School

Homework

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) includes a homework component:

Parents receive homework at each session in the form of activity worksheets, which help them practice and think about the concepts learned in class. They are instructed to remember examples of their attempts to practice the skills at home. Both the worksheets and personal examples are reviewed at the next session.

Languages

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) has materials available in languages other than English:

Hindi, Japanese, Russian, Spanish

For information on which materials are available in these languages, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

  • Audio/Visual equipment (TV and VCR or DVD player)
  • Certified trainers and program materials
  • Enough space for 8 - 10 parents to meet with the trainer
  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • On-call contract support for hearing impaired parents

Minimum Provider Qualifications

A high school diploma is acceptable but a Bachelor's degree is preferred. Most trainers have degrees in family science, counseling, education, or other related fields. After certification, local contact trainers are encouraged to participate in yearly in-service training, questionnaires, and reviews to maintain their skills.

Education and Training Resources

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program, and there is training available for this program.

Training Contact:
Training is obtained:

Training is provided by the Training, Evaluation, & Certification department at the Boys Town Home Campus located in Boys Town, Nebraska. Staff from other Boys Town sites, such as Boys Town California, receive their training at Home Campus in Nebraska.

Four training methods are used to ensure that the program is implemented as designed:

  • First, extensive training sessions for trainers (i.e., interventionists/workshop leaders) emphasizes (a) instruction in effective skills and practices, (b) demonstration of effective skills and practices, (c) practice with parenting skills, (d) feedback on practice efforts and training processes, and (e) ongoing coaching by Boys Town staff.
  • Second, interventionists work through the program's training package, which includes a parent's book, a trainer's manual, and a 55-minute DVD with 85 vignettes that model correct and incorrect ways of using the skills.
  • Third, all interventionists complete a three-day training program related to implementation of the program.
  • Fourth, program replication efforts include training in the use of program fidelity assessments.
Number of days/hours:

3-day training program (approximately 24 hours)

Additional Resources:

There currently are additional qualified resources for training:

For Common Sense Parenting materials, including books and DVDs, contact:

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

This program is rated a "3 - Promising Research Evidence" on the Scientific Rating Scale based on the published, peer-reviewed research available. The practice must have at least one study utilizing some form of control (e.g., untreated group, placebo group, matched wait list study) establishing the practice's benefit over the placebo, or found it to be comparable to or better than an appropriate comparison practice. Please see the Scientific Rating Scale for more information.

Child Welfare Outcome: Child/Family Well-Being

Show relevant research...

Thompson, R. W., Grow, C. R., Ruma, P. R., Daly, D. L., & Burke, R. V. (1993). Evaluation of a practical parenting program with middle and low-income families. Family Relations, 42, 21–25.

Type of Study: Within-group pre-/post-test design
Number of Participants: 34 (10 in “low-income” group, 24 in “middle-income” group)

Population:

  • Age range — Children - Low-income group: 8.8 years average; Middle-income group: 9.5 years average
  • Race/Ethnicity — Parents - Low-income group: 90% Caucasian, 10% Oriental; Middle-income group: 84% Caucasian, 16% Black
  • Gender — Parents - Low-income group: 90% female, 10% male; Middle-income group: 75% female, 25% male; Children – Low-income group: 70% male, 30% female; Middle-income group: 54% female, 46% male
  • Status — 70% of parents in the low-income group & 34% of those in the middle-income group were referred by an outside agency. The remaining participants were self-referred or referred by a friend.

Location / Institution: Not Specified

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a program to teach practical child management skills to parents, Common Sense Parenting (CSP). Families were categorized as "low-income" (with income below poverty thresholds, based on the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990) or "middle-income." The Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) was used to assess behavior problems, the Parent Attitude Test (PAT) measured changes in parent attitudes and perceptions, and the Problem-Solving Inventory was used to measure several dimensions of problem-solving ability. Results showed that, for both low-income and middle-income families, parental reports of child behavior problems, parent attitudes, and parent problem-solving skills improved significantly from before parent training to after with the CSP program. There were no significant changes from immediately after parent training to the 3-month follow-up, though problem frequency scores for children from low-income families moved from clinical to normal ranges after training and maintained there at the 3-month follow-up, and problem frequency scores for children from middle-income families were in the normal range at all 3 time periods. Limitations include the study’s small sample size and lack of a control group.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: 3 months.

Thompson, R. W., Ruma, P. R., Schuchmann, L. F., & Burke, R. V. (1996). A cost-effectiveness evaluation of parent training. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5, 415-429.

Type of Study: Quasi-experimental design
Number of Participants: 66 parents

Population:

  • Age range — Children: 2-17 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — Parents: 64 Caucasian, 2 Unspecified
  • Gender — Children: 42 male, 24 female; Parents: 57 female, 9 male
  • Status — Participants requested or were referred to Common Sense Parenting (CSP).

Location / Institution: 3 Midwestern communities

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
This study examined the effectiveness of a cost-reduced version of CSP, which was reduced from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. Thirty-nine parents were assigned to the parent training (PT) condition/CSP condition, based strictly on availability. As classes became full in each of the 3 Midwestern community locations, parents were placed in the wait list control (WLC) condition (n=27). Measures used included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) which identifies child behavior problems, the Parent Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC), which measures parent satisfaction and efficacy, and the Family Satisfaction Scale (FSS), which assesses satisfaction with family relationships. Results showed that parents who completed CSP training reported more improvement in externalizing child problems, such as delinquent and aggressive behavior, and more satisfaction and efficacy as a parent, when compared with the WLC group. These effects were maintained at 3 months post-treatment. There were no statistically significant treatment effects found, however, for internalizing problem behavior, such as depression or anxiety, or for clinical recovery rates for children in the clinical range. Limitations of the study include the lack of complete randomization and control, as well as the homogeneity of an almost entirely Caucasian sample.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: 3 months.

Ruma, P. R., Burke, R. V., & Thompson, R. W. (1996). Group parent training: Is it effective for children of all ages? Behavior Therapy, 27, 159–169.

Type of Study: Within-group pre-test/post-test design
Number of Participants: 206 (originally 304; 98 mothers dropped out during treatment)

Population:

  • Age range — Children: 2-16 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — Not Specified
  • Gender — Children: 67% male, 33% female
  • Status — Participants included mothers who attended Common Sense Parenting (CSP) classes during 1991 and 1992 at several U.S. sites.

Location / Institution: Orlando, FL; Omaha, NE; San Antonio, TX

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
This article examined archival data from mothers who attended group parent training, CSP. At each site, to compare group parent training outcomes, groups were divided into three groups according to age: early childhood (2-5 years), middle childhood (6-11 years), and adolescence (12-16 years).The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) which identifies child behavioral problems, served as the measure for all analyses. This was administered during the first and last classes; CBCL Total Program T scores were used as the dependent variable and included scales to measure internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Resulting scores indicated that all groups showed improvement in behavioral problems, but at different rates, suggesting a possible age effect on outcome; the middle childhood group demonstrated the most clinically significant gains. Limitations include the lack of a control group and the use of only one measure, especially one with the potential for self-report biasing.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: None.

Thompson, R. W., Ruma, P. R., Brewster, A. L., Besetsney, L. K., & Burke, R. V. (1997). Evaluation of an Air Force child physical abuse prevention project using the reliable change index. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 6(4), 421–434.

Type of Study: Within-group pre-/post-test design
Number of Participants: 379

Population:

  • Age range — Mean Parent Age: 33.06 years, Mean Child Age: 7.88 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 73% White, 13% African American, 9% Hispanic, 5% Other
  • Gender — Parent: 62% Female, 38% Male; Child: 58% Male, 42% Female
  • Status — Participants were active duty or civilian employee parents and their spouses who attended CSP classes at 25 Air Force bases in the continental United States (CONUS) and overseas (OCONUS). Most were self-referred, active duty parents who had no prior history of abuse. The most frequently cited reason for enrolling in parent training was parent-child conflict.

Location / Institution: 25 Air Force bases in the continental United States (CONUS) and overseas (OCONUS)

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess child behavior problems, the Family Satisfaction Scale (FSS) was used to measure overall satisfaction with family relationships, and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP) was used to evaluate parents’ potential to engage in physical abuse. Parents reported significant reductions in child behavior problems for both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, as well as in total number of reported behavior problems. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in parents’ risk for child physical abuse and an increase in their satisfaction with family relationships. Pre-post improvements were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Limitations include the lack of a control group, the self-report nature of the measures, and the fact that follow-up data were available for only about 10% of the participants with pre-post data.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: < 6 months (Number of sessions completed varied from parent to parent).

Griffith, A. K. (in press). The use of a behavioral parent training program for parents of adolescents. Journal of At-Risk Issues.

Type of Study: Within-group pre-/post-test design
Number of Participants: 42 parents

Population:

  • Age range — Youth: 12-16 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — Not Specified
  • Gender — Not Specified
  • Status — Participants included parents of adolescents who completed the 6-session Common Sense Parenting (CSP) course.

Location / Institution: Not Specified

Summary: (To include comparison groups, outcomes, measures, notable limitations)
This study examined the effectiveness of a 6-session behavioral parent training program – CSP – with parents of adolescents. Measures included the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which assesses problem behaviors in children/adolescents, and the Parenting Stress Inventory (PSI), which measures relative stress within the parent-child relationship. Results showed a significant decrease from pre- to post-test in scores for both subscales of the CBCL, Rule-breaking and Aggressive, as well as the Externalizing behaviors score. Additionally, scores on both PSI-SF subscales, Parent Distress and Parent Child Dysfunctional Interaction, decreased significantly from pre- to post-test. Limitations include the small sample size, lack of a control group, and lack of post-treatment follow-up.

Length of post-intervention follow-up: None.

References

Burke, R., Herron, R., & Barnes, B. A. (2006). Common Sense Parenting®, 3rd edition. Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home: Boys Town, NE, USA.

Burke, R., Schuchmann, L. F., & Barnes, B. A. (2006). Common Sense Parenting® Trainer Guide, 3rd edition. Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home: Boys Town, NE, USA.

Contact Information

Name: Ronald W. Thompson, PhD
Agency/Affiliation: Boys Town National Research Institution
Website: www.boystown.org/nri
Email:
Phone: (402) 498-1254
Fax: (402) 498-1315

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: June 2012

Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: July 2010

Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: July 2010