Online Training for a New Parent-Child Assessment Tool

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Though quality parenting is widely recognized as key to a child's healthy development, no assessment tool has gained common use by those working with families to strengthen parenting practices. Programs serving families with young children have long sought an assessment of caregiver behavior that is simple enough for routine use by their staff and that provides information relevant to intervention. To address this need, we propose to validate and refine the Keys to Interactive Parenting Scale (KIPS), a 12-item observational assessment of caregiving behavior. With KIPS, providers can identify parenting strengths and needs, make informed interventions, track progress and evaluate program outcomes. The time, cost, quality and availability of training are important hurdles to any instrument's use. To promote wide dissemination of KIPS, we will develop a convenient online training and support system that develops and maintains reliable KIPS scoring at low cost, and consistent quality. The Phase II Specific Aims are: 1) Conduct further psychometric studies of KIPS; 2) Refine KIPS using information from the validation studies and input from a panel of experts; 3) Test KIPS' ability to detect changes in parenting behavior with intervention; 4) Revise the KIPS online training program to accommodate changes made in the KIPS instrument and develop new features to enhance learning; and 5) Develop an online practice library and recertification system for KIPS. Construct validity will be studied in a representative sample of 400 families; and criterion validity in a sample of 150 families. The KIPS instrument will be refined based on results from factor analyses, validation studies, feedback from a panel of experts and users in the field. To determine KIPS' value in program evaluation, a random sample of 125 families in an adolescent parenting program will be assessed using KIPS at 0, 3, 6 and 12 months of intervention. The online training program will be revised to reflect the instrument's changes. Additionally, the impact of including automated customization features will be studied by comparing learning and satisfaction of a group of 30 providers using the basic model of the online training, to a group of 30 providers using the automatically customized version. Additionally, an online practice library will be developed so users can conveniently maintain KIPS reliability. A practical and useful assessment, coupled with an online training and support system, can promote wide KIPS use. With such a tool, family service providers can help families build responsive parenting, promoting healthy development and well-being for thousands of children. A practical and valid observational parenting assessment, coupled with an online training and support system, can promote wide KIPS use. With such a tool, family service providers can help families build responsive parenting, promoting healthy development and well-being for thousands of children.