The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50404

Marilee Comfort, PhD, MPH¹, Philip R. Gordon, PhD², and Gerald J. Kelliher, PhD². (1) Comfort Consults, 1383 Creek Road, Cheyney, PA 19319, 610-455-1463, comfortconsults@yahoo.com, (2) Kelliher & Associates, Ltd., 1383 Creek Road, Cheyney, PA 19319

Parent or caregiver interaction with a child plays a key role in the child’s health, development and socialization. A thorough family assessment includes parent-child interaction assessment, and permits customized education and intervention. These services promote effective early parenting by building responsive parental behaviors, preventing negative downward spirals, and perpetuating positive cycles of healthy parent-child interaction. Despite numerous research assessments, no parent-child interaction instrument has gained common use by service providers. The extensive time and cost of training present major barriers to the wide adoption of parent-child assessment by practitioners. To address this problem, we have developed a prototype for interactive online parent/caregiver-child interaction assessment using broadband technologies. In this session participants will experience the web-based Interactive Parenting Assessment© (IPA) prototype, developed and pilot tested with funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The participants will experience how IPA teaches parent-child interaction assessment. IPA uses the WebSeminar platform, coupled with streaming video practice sessions and interactive cohort polling, to train service providers to rating competence. IPA permits learners to study on-line, any time-any place, at their own pace and convenience. Preliminary comparisons of data from 22 participants in traditional live training and 19 on-line participants from multiple disciplines across the U.S. demonstrate that this on-line training yields equivalent skill development assessed by rating competence, but produces greater knowledge, and understanding of the uses and challenges in interpreting parent-child assessments with families. This program serves as a model of effective staff training using the power of broadband technology.

Learning Objectives:

1.State the importance of parent/caregiver interaction assessment in a complete family assessment. 2.Demonstrate increased skill in assessing responsiveness of parent/caregiver interaction with a young child.
• State four advantages of on-line training over traditional live training.

Keywords: Professional Development, Maternal and Child Health

Related Web page: www.kelliherandassociates.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Comfort Consults; Kelliher & Associates, Ltd.
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment & Small Business Innovative Research Grant