Testing effective strategies for reducing problem behavior among children with ADHD: An evaluation of the 1-2-3 magic parenting program

Research indicates that behavioral parent training is an effective treatment for children with ADHD. A review of the literature revealed limited evidence of brief parenting programs for child behavioral difficulties, and scarce evidence of brief, parent-only programs for parents of children with ADHD. The aim of this research was to address this gap in the literature by examining whether a brief parenting program would improve outcomes for children with ADHD and their parents. This aim was addressed by evaluating the group-based version of the parenting program, 1-2-3 Magic, among parents of children aged 6-12 years with ADHD. The 1-2-3 Magic program has not previously been evaluated among parents of children with ADHD. This thesis presents two empirical studies, preceded by a general introduction, a literature review, and an introduction to the empirical studies, followed by a general discussion. The first empirical study evaluated the effectiveness of the 1-2-3 Magic program in reducing problematic child behavior and ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD, and dysfunctional parenting in their caregivers. The study used a randomized experimental design with a waitlist-control (treatment group, n = 17; waitlist-control group, n = 14). Child problem behavior, ADHD symptoms, and dysfunctional parenting were the primary outcome variables. Results at postintervention and six-month follow-up were mixed, but suggestive of improvement; several design-related limitations were identified (notably, power, group assignment procedure, and providing adequate implementation time). The aim of Study II was to use a similar design to Study 1 while overcoming its limitations (treatment group, n = 28; waitlist-control group, n = 29). Results from Study II suggest that the 1-2-3 Magic parenting program is effective at reducing disruptive behavior and ADHD symptoms in children with ADHD, as well as dysfunctional parenting in their caregivers. 2 Overall, the findings provide support for the effectiveness of the 1-2-3 Magic parenting program in treating behavioral problems among school-aged children with ADHD, as evidenced by improvements in child and parental functioning.