ABSTRACT
In the past 15 years, the l iterature on behavioral parent t ra ining has burgeoned from a few single-case studies to a massive body of l i terature repor t ing the successful treatment of thousands of chi ldren wi th a wide variety of problems. 2
N o longer v i e w e d solely as an experimental technology, this mode of treatment has become an increasingly effective, accepted, and popular in tervent ion . In an extensive review, Graziano (1977) concludes "parent behavior training, as a c h i l d psychotherapy approach, is a h ighly p r o m i s i n g area that might prove to be one of
the most important developments in the c h i l d menta l health f ie ld (p. 287)." B e g i n n i n g i n the late 1950s, behavior modif icat ion w i t h ch i ldren had its first impact w i t h ch i ldren diagnosed aut i s t i c , s c h i z o h r e n i c a n d m e n t a l l y r e t a r d e d (Gardner , 1971; Lovaas, Fre i tag , G o l d , and Kassorla, 1965). O n c e behavior therapy was d e m - onstrated to be effective, it was then appl ied to c h i l d r e n exhib i t ing a w i d e r variety of problems, such as school phobia , hyperact ivi ty and e n u - resis (Graziano, 1975). As behavior therapists began to consider the questions of efficient del ivery of services and the maintenance and generalization of behavior change, increased attention was focused on tra ining the child's parents to be the agents of change (Berkowitz and Graziano, 1972; Johnson and Katz , 1973; O ' D e l l , 1974; T a v o r m i n a , 1974).
