Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P is a short parenting intervention for families with a child with a developmental disability and/or moderate or severe behavioural problems. It is delivered by health professionals to individual families through four short sessions.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
2 to 9 years old
Individual
Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P is part of the Triple P multi-level system of family support and is specifically for parents or caregivers with a child between 0 and 12 years with a developmental disability, (such as Down’s Syndrome or Autistic Spectrum Disorder), or a moderate or severe behavioural problem.
It is one mode of implementation of Triple P’s Stepping Stones series, designed to be delivered in a primary care setting by a health provider or practitioner with training in psychology or social work. It involves four individual sessions lasting between 15 and 30 minutes each to parents who only require specific support around a discrete parenting or child issue. It is not uncommon for parents attend Primary Care Triple P as an introduction to parenting strategies before attending a more intensive Group Stepping Stones Triple P for further support.
During the sessions, parents learn strategies for encouraging their child’s social communication skills, emotional self-regulation, independence, and problem-solving capabilities. In the first session, the practitioner assesses the child’s presenting problem and teaches parents to keep track of their child’s behaviour. In session 2, the parent and practitioner work together to develop a parenting plan with active skills training. This plan is reviewed, refined, and followed up on in sessions 3 and 4.
0 to 12 years old
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Children with developmental disabilities typically have more difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviour.
Science-based assumption
Parents are influential in supporting the self-regulatory development of children with developmental disorders associated with child behavioural problems.
Science-based assumption
Parents with a child diagnosed with a developmental disability and/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 who have a developmental disability such as ASD and Down’s Syndrome, or moderate to severe behaviour problems.
Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P is delivered in 4 sessions of 15 to 30 minutes duration each by one practitioner, to individual families. However, the participants in the evaluated version of the intervention received four sessions of between 15 and 30 minutes’ duration.
Triple P’s Stepping Stones series teach parents how to encourage their child’s social and communication skills, emotional self-regulation, independence, and problem-solving ability. Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P provides help for parents in managing one or two specific behaviour problems or developmental issues that are a current concern. They are encouraged to apply the parenting skills and parenting plans developed to other problems that may arise. In the first session, the practitioner assesses the child’s presenting problem and teaches parents to keep track of their child’s behaviour. In session two, the parent and practitioner work together to develop a parenting plan with active skills training. This plan is reviewed, refined, and followed up on in sessions three and four.
Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P is typically delivered by a nurse, family physician, paediatrician, allied health professional, psychologist, or other practitioner with training in a helping profession.
The practitioners have three days of programme training (with an additional day and a half for accreditation). Booster training of practitioners is not required.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised by one host-agency supervisor, with no additional hours of programme training.
Programme fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
*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.
Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P’s most rigorous evidence comes from an RCT conducted in Australia with evidence consistent with Foundations’ Level 2 evidence strength threshold.
This study observed statistically significant improvements in child behaviour post-intervention, although most benefits were not maintained at six-month follow-up.
Primary Care Stepping Stones Triple P has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the programme caused the improvement.
| Identified in search | 2 |
| Studies reviewed | 1 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 1 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 0 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 1 |
| Study design | RCT |
| Country | Australia |
| Sample characteristics | Participants were parents/caregivers of a 2- to 9-year-old child (mean age: 5.7 years) with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis from a paediatrician or child psychiatrist. |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors |
|
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes |
|
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Tellegen, C. L., & Sanders, M. R. (2014). A randomized controlled trial evaluating a brief parenting program with children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 82 (6), 1193. |
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.
Tellegen, C. L. & Sanders, M. R. (2012) Using primary care parenting interventions to improve outcomes in children with developmental disabilities: A case report. Case Reports in Pediatrics.
–
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.
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.
Click here for more information.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.
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.
Click here for more information.
