Evaluation of an existing parenting class within a women's state correctional facility and a parenting class modeled from Parent–Child Interaction Therapy

Approximately 336,000 households with minor children are believed to be directly affected by parental imprisonment, and the majority of inmates in correctional facilities across the United States have been reported to be parents of minors (Mumola, 2000). Subsequently, parent training provided through correctional programming has the potential to impact a large number of American children affected by parental incarceration. However, there are no empirically supported “best practices” for parenting programs provided during incarceration and programs often vary across facilities. The current study examines an existing parenting class offered within a correctional facility and a parenting class modeled from Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), a program with an existing evidence base for improving parent and child outcomes. Eighty-two women incarcerated in a female, state correctional facility were randomized to one of the two parenting models. Both parenting models were matched in dose to the facility's existing program, of weekly, 90-minute, group parenting classes, consisting of 10–15 mothers. Seventy-one women completed the parenting classes. Participants in both models were combined for pre-treatment and post-treatment assessments that included group administration of self-report measures and individual behavior observations of parenting interaction role-plays. At post-treatment, mothers completing the PCIT-based training demonstrated higher levels of parenting skills and reported higher levels of treatment satisfaction than mothers completing the existing facility class. Mothers completing the existing class reported higher levels of parenting knowledge of child development than the PCIT-based class. Following both parenting models, similar decreases were found between groups in parenting stress and child abuse potential.