Evidence-Based Practices

Evidence-based practices are becoming the requirement in corrections. Unfortunately, the term "evidence-based" has been claimed by many programs that do not in fact meet the criteria for evidence-based practices. Many parenting education and skills training interventions have been developed, but few have been tested in a scientifically rigorous fashion.

What Does Evidence-Based Mean?

According to the Kaufman Best Practices Project (2004), a program must meet following criteria to earn the designation evidence-based (emphasis added):

Have a sound theoretical base in generally accepted psychological principles indicating that it would be effective in treating at least some problems of the population.
Be generally accepted in practice as appropriate for the population.
Have at least one randomized controlled study indicating its efficacy.
Have a book, manual or other writings available to professionals that specifies the components of the program and how to conduct it.
Able to be delivered in common settings with a reasonable degree of fidelity to the program principles and elements.
Can be delivered by typical professionals who have received a reasonable level of training and supervision in its use.

Parenting Inside Out meets the criteria for an evidence-based program.

The Evidence Behind Parenting Inside Out

Theoretical Foundation

Knowing that the children of incarcerated parents are at increased risk for antisocial behavior problems that can lead to criminal behavior (Eddy & Reid, 2001; Eddy & Poehlmann, 2010), Parenting Inside Out began with a comprehensive review of studies on the psychosocial treatment of conduct disordered children and adolescents (Brestan & Eyberg, 1998). Only two interventions were found to meet stringent criteria for a "well-established" intervention that has been proven to make a significant difference in child behavior, and both were variants of Parent Management Training (PMT) (Forgatch & Martinez, 1998; Eddy, 2006). Parenting Inside Out was designed with Parent Management Training as its core foundation.

Also recognizing that criminal justice involved parents frequently have errors in their thinking about their role as a parent, Parenting Inside Out uses cognitive behavioral therapy practices. Cognitive behavioral techniques (self-control and self-motivation, use of role play, modeling, rehearsal of skills) directly address parents' errors in thinking and helps them form appropriate parenting and prosocial citizen behaviors.

Randomized, Controlled Study

Parenting Inside Out was evaluated in a $2.1 million randomized controlled study funded by the National Institute of Health. The Parent Child Study, which began in 2006, was designed to investigate the effectiveness of Parenting Inside Out as a prison-based Parent Management Training intervention. The study followed 359 mothers and fathers over a five-year period starting 18 months before release and measured a variety of factors from parent-child relationships and parent-caregiver relationships to rearrest and substance abuse rates. The results of the Parent Child Study demonstrated that Parenting Inside Out has measureable positive impacts on key factors.

To our knowledge, Parenting Inside Out is the only parenting program for criminal justice involved parents that has been the subject of a randomized controlled study of a significant size. For more on the design and outcomes of the study, please visit the Parent Child Study page.

Manual, Training and Program Fidelity

Parenting Inside Out has a comprehensive manual, including both instructor and student materials. The manual is a script for delivering the program that ensures instructors deliver the program with high fidelity.