Abstract
The present paper reviews practical research on training programs for parents of children with developmental disabilities for the purpose of discussing current issues relating to the practice in Japan. The review mainly focuses on the form and content of the programs, program methods used, and evaluations of program effectiveness. This analysis enabled a classification of parent training into 3 forms: (a) Individual support for each parent, (b) support for a parent group, and (c) combination of individual support and support for a parent group. Those using the individual support method tended to evaluate the children's behavior using single-subject design, whereas those using the group-support method tended to evaluate parents' mental health status using pre-post assessments. However, the present review did not assess the evaluation approaches used, and thus cannot determine the accuracy of the reported effects. It is recommended that programs' effects on both parents and children be evaluated from the viewpoint of evidence-based practice.
