A Trial of Two Universal Programs for Parents of Teenagers

Group-based and internet-delivered parenting programs may help parents improve their communication and relationships with their children. However, relatively little is known about how well such programs work for parents of adolescents, because most previous studies have focused on younger children or on families selected because of elevated risk. This study evaluated two universal preventive parenting programs for parents of adolescents: the group-based ABC-Teen program and the internet-delivered ParentWeb program. Both programs were developed in Sweden and aim to promote adolescent well-being by strengthening parenting practices and parent-adolescent relationships and reducing negative communication. Families were randomized to ABC-Teen, ParentWeb, or a waitlist control condition. The sole primary outcome was parent-reported adolescent mental health problems, measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Total Difficulties score. Secondary outcomes included parental mental health and stress, parenting behaviors and parental self-efficacy, parent-adolescent and family relationships, adolescent school adjustment and substance use, and outcomes reported by participants in an optional adolescent survey. Parent and adolescent assessments were conducted at baseline, 4 months, and 12 months. After completion of the 4-month assessment, families assigned to the waitlist were offered their choice of ABC-Teen or ParentWeb. Consequently, comparisons with the waitlist were restricted to the period from baseline to 4 months, whereas longer-term analyses compared ABC-Teen with ParentWeb.

Inclusion Criteria: * A caregiver or another adult who live part- or full-time with at least one adolescent 13-19 years old. Exclusion Criteria: * The family had an ongoing contact (treatment or assessment) concerning a child or adolescent within the psychiatry, social services, primary psychiatric care, habilitation, or equivalent services. * Health or language deficiencies that make it difficult to respond to questionnaires or participate in group or online parent support.