Treatment Acceptability of Behavioral Interventions for Children: An Assessment by Mothers of Children with Disruptive Behavior Disorders

This study assessed the acceptability of six child management interventions as rated by 20 mothers of children actually referred for treatment of a disruptive behavior disorder. Positive reinforcement, response cost, differential attention, time-out, overcorrection, and spanking were evaluated using the Treatment Evaluation Inventory-Short Form. Positive reinforcement was rated as a more acceptable treatment technique than response cost, time-out, differential attention, overcorrection, and spanking. Spanking was less acceptable to the mothers than the other techniques. These results validate those from studies using undergraduates and non-referred parents in suggesting that parents of disruptive children seeking treatment evaluate a treatment approach that focuses on increasing acceptable behaviors most highly and an approach that focuses on decreasing negative behavior least favorably.