Review of Parent Training Interventions for Parents with Intellectual Disability

Background This paper reviews recent research to provide an updated perspective on the effectiveness of parent training interventions for parents with intellectual disability. The degree to which these studies meet previous recommendations for future research is explored, particularly with regard to the influence of context on intervention outcomes. Materials and Methods Seven studies are reviewed, which have been published in the peer‐reviewed literature since 1994. Results Evidence from this review supports the use of individually administered home‐based behavioural intervention for parents with intellectual disability. However, the effect of parent training interventions on child outcomes and the generalization of parenting skills is rarely investigated. Contextual factors that may be associated with intervention success (or failure) are also neglected. Conclusions There is reasonable evidence of the effectiveness of parent training for parents with intellectual disability. However, investigators have yet to determine the influence of immediate or more distal contextual factors on intervention outcomes. This presents a significant gap in the literature in contrast to other areas of parenting intervention research where the influence of family and the broader community context has been shown to influence the effectiveness of parent training interventions.