Group Stepping Stones Triple P is a parenting intervention for families with a child between 0 and 12 years with a developmental disability as well as moderate or severe behavioural problems. It is delivered by a parenting practitioner to groups of 5 to 10 families through six weekly 2.5 hour sessions. During the sessions, parents learn strategies for managing their child’s behaviour in a variety of different contexts.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
2 to 9 years old
Group
Group Stepping Stones Triple P is part of the Triple P multilevel system of family support, developed specifically for parents of children aged 0 to 12 with a developmental disability. The content is suitable for families with a child who has Down’s syndrome or Autistic Spectrum Disorder, as well as moderate or severe behavioural problems.
Group Stepping Stones Triple P is delivered by a parenting practitioner to groups of 5 to 10 families through six 2.5-hour sessions. Parents also receive three individual telephone consultations to help refine the use of the skills learned during the group sessions and develop independent problem-solving skills. A full behavioural and family assessment is completed before and after the group sessions.
The content for the group sessions is as follows:
0 to 12 years
Children aged between 0 and 12 with a developmental disability as well as moderate or severe behavioural problems
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Children with ASD and Down’s Syndrome typically have more difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviour.
Science-based assumption
Parents are influential in supporting the self-regulatory development of ASD, Down’s Syndrome, and other disorders associated with child behavioural problems.
Science-based assumption
Parents with a child diagnosed with ASD, Down’s Syndrome, or serious behaviour problems.
Intervention
Parents learn strategies for:
Encouraging positive child behaviour
Discouraging problematic child behaviour
Supporting children’s communication skills
Encouraging emotional self-regulation
Increasing child independence.
Short-term
Reductions in parental stress
Improved parental confidence
Improved parenting behaviours.
Medium-term
Improved child behavioural regulation
Improved child emotion regulation
Improved child communication skills.
Long-term
Children are better able to self-regulate in contexts outside of the home, including school and other social situations.
Children aged between 0 and 12 years. Children with a developmental disability such as Down’s Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with moderate to severe behavioural problems.
Group Stepping Stones Triple P is delivered in six sessions of 2 to 2.5 hours’ duration and three individual telephone sessions of 30 minutes’ duration. It is delivered by one practitioner, and 5 to 10 families attend the group sessions.
Parents are taught new skills, behaviours, and strategies to support positive parenting, promote child development, and manage misbehaviour. They learn how to adapt strategies to suit their family’s needs. The latter sessions focus on planning ahead, implementing parenting routines, and looking at ways to maintain changes. Resources include examples of positive parenting shown on DVDs and individual workbooks for parents to record goals and achievements.
Practitioners typically have a qualification in a profession such as nursing, psychology, or school counselling.
The practitioners have 4.5 days of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is not required.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host-agency supervisor, who does not receive intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
A quality assurance checklist is available for organisations to use when planning for quality assurance of Triple P. There are three standard fidelity protocols built into the Triple P Implementation Framework: (1) Practitioner Accreditation, (2) Intervention Fidelity using Session Checklists, (3) Supervision and Practitioner Support Standards using the Peer Support Network. Triple P UK offers trainer facilitated PASS sessions or a Flexibility & Fidelity workshop for professional development.
Organisation: Triple P UK
Email address: contact.tpuk@triplep.uk.net
Websites: http://www.triplep.net
www.triplep-parenting.net
www.pfsc.uq.edu.au/research/evidence
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
Group Stepping Stones Triple P’s most rigorous evidence comes from a single RCT conducted in Australia that is consistent with Foundations’ Level 3 evidence strength criteria.
This study identified statistically significant reductions in number and frequency of disruptive child behaviours as reported by Group Stepping Stones Triple P’s parents compared to those not receiving the intervention. This study also observed improvements favouring Group Stepping Stones Triple P’s parents’ use of discipline and experiences of stress.
Group Stepping Stones Triple P can be described as evidence-based: it has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT or QED demonstrating a statistically significant positive impact on at least one child outcome.
Reduced disruptive behaviours
Immediately after the intervention
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
Reduced frequency of disruptive behaviours
Immediately after the intervention
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
| Identified in search | 12 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 0 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 1 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 11 |
| Study design | RCT |
| Country | Australia |
| Sample characteristics | 52 families with a child aged between 2 and 9 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down’s syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or an intellectual disability |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities | Not reported |
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes |
|
| Study rating | 3 |
| Citations | Roux, G., Sofronoff, K. & Sanders, M. (2013) A randomized controlled trial of Group Stepping Stones Triple P: A mixed-disability trial. Family Process. 52 (3), 411–424. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Brown, F., Whittingham, K., Boyd, R., McKinlay, L. & Sofronoff, K. (2014) Improving child and parenting outcomes following paediatric acquired brain injury: A randomised controlled trial of Stepping Stones Triple P plus Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 55 (10), 1172–1183. This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Brown, F., Whittingham, K., Boyd, R., McKinlay, L. & Sofronoff, K. (2015).Does Stepping Stones Triple P plus Acceptance and Commitment Therapy improve parent, couple, and family adjustment following paediatric acquired brain injury? A randomised controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 73, 58–66). This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Hampel, O., Hasmann, R., Hasmann, S., Holl, R., Karpinski, N., Bohm, R. & Petermann, F. (2015) Versorgung von Familien mit einem entwicklungsauffälligen oder behinderten Kind: Vergleich zwischen Routinebehandlungen mit und ohne Stepping-Stones-Triple-P-Elterngruppentraining (Psychological care of families with developmentally retarded or disabled children. Comparison between routine treatment with or without Stepping Stones Triple P parenting group training). Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde. 163, 1160–1166. This reference refers to a quasi-experimental design, conducted in Germany.
Hampel, O., Schaadt, A., Hasmann, S., Petermann, F., Holl, R. & Hasmann, R. (2010) Evaluation von Stepping Stones Triple P: Zwischenergebnisse der Stepping-Stones-SPZMulticenterstudie [Evaluation of Stepping Stones Triple P: Interims analysis of the Stepping-Stones-SPC-Multicentric Study]. Klinische Padiatrie. 222, 18–25. This reference refers to a quasi-experimental design, conducted in Germany.
Harrison, J. (2006) Evaluation of a group behavioural family intervention for families of young children with developmental disabilities (Unpublished Honours Thesis, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia). This reference refers to a quasi-experimental design, conducted in Australia.
Hasmann, R., Schaadt, A., Hampel, O., Karpinski, N., Holl, R. & Petermann, F. (2012) Rehabilitation behinderter Kinder und deren Eltern mit Stepping Stones Triple P: Welche Therapieeffekte haben Einfluss auf die subjective Behandlungszufriedenheit? Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde. 160, 146–154.
Hasmann, S., Hampel, O., Schaadt, A., Bohm, R., Engler-Plorer, S., Mundt, D. & Hasmann, R. (2010) Psychosoziale Aspekte bei motorischen Behinderungen: Wie profitieren Familien mit verschiedenartig behinderten Kindern von einem Elterngruppentraining? Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde. 158, 463–470.
Lake, J. (2010) An evaluation of the Stepping Stones Triple P Parenting Program and an investigation of parental perceptions of children recently diagnosed with autism: A focus group and pilot study (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia). This reference refers to a qualitative study, conducted in Australia.
Walsh, N. (2008) The impact of therapy process on outcomes for families of children with disabilities and behaviour problems attending group parent training (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia). This reference refers to a pre-post study, conducted in Australia.
Whittingham, K., Sofronoff, K. & Sheffield, J. (2006) Stepping Stones Triple P: A pilot study to evaluate acceptability of the program by parents of a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research in Developmental Disabilities. 27 (4), 364–380. This reference refers to a mixed-methods study, conducted in Australia.
Whittingham, K., Sofronoff, K., Sheffield, J. & Sanders, M. (2009a) Do parental attributions affect treatment outcome in a parenting program? An exploration of the effects of parental attributions in an RCT of Stepping Stones Triple P for the ASD population. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 3 (1), 129–144. This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Whittingham, K., Sofronoff, K., Sheffield, J. & Sanders, M. (2009b) Stepping Stones Triple P: An RCT of a parenting program with parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 37, 469–480. This reference refers to a randomised control trial, conducted in Australia.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.
Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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