Glossary

Self-assessment

Strengthening Families Programme

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Evidence

1+ - 4

Fit

NYR

Capacity

NYR

Supports

3

Usability

4

Need

NYR

Usability - Rating: 4

Core Components

The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) is a family skills training programme designed to enhance family relationships, increase parents’ protective factors, and reduce children’s risk factors for substance abuse, violence and delinquency. It was originally developed as a targeted prevention intervention to improve the outcomes of high-risk children (aged 6-11 years) with substance-abusing parents, but is now delivered to general population families (with children aged 0-16 years). The SFP course materials are developmentally appropriate and are separated according to children’s age; 0-3 years, 3-5 years, 6-11 years and 12-16 years. The programme is delivered to parents and children when the children are aged 3-16, and parents only when children are less than 3 years old.

The SFP curriculum is delivered weekly over 10-14 weeks, with length of delivery dependent on the risk factors within the family. The 2.5 hour weekly sessions start with a coordinated 30 minutes family meal, after which the three SFP components are delivered:

Parent training component (PT): The 1-hr PT sessions are delivered by two trained practitioners to groups of 6-10 parents. Parents are taught skills to promote positive behaviours in children, including specific praise, clear communication, positive discipline, boundary setting, problem solving and substance use education. The class is delivered after the meal, and lasts about one hour.
Teen/ child skills training component (CT): The 1-hr CT sessions are delivered by two trained practitioners to groups of 6-10 children. Children are spilt into age appropriate groups, i.e. 3-5, 6-11 and 12-16 years. The CT component teaches positive communication, problem solving, social skills, coping skills and refusal skills. A babysitting manual is used for children aged 3-5 years, and there is no 0-3 years CT component. CT is delivered at the same time as the parents training programme, but in a separate training room.
Family life skills training programme (FT): FT is delivered by four trained practitioners to groups of 6-10 families. Parents and their children practice the skills they learned in class, and take part in structured family activities. Within this component, families learn effective communication strategies, practice effective discipline, and strategies to promote positive behaviours in parents and children. The FT component is delivered in the last hour of the weekly 2.5 hour sessions.

SFP can be delivered in several settings including schools, churches, and community centers. Staff within implementing organisations can recruit families from juvenile justice services, child protective services, parent organizations, and churches. Incentives (including entertainment tickets, transportation, and child care services) are used to boost family recruitment, promote good behaviours in children, encourage homework assignments completion and programme completion. Discussions, roleplay, puppets, toys, parent handbooks and children’s handbooks are used to deliver the programme. Booster sessions for families are recommended. They take place every six months and last about three hours.

Fidelity

SFP fidelity is maintained by adherence to the measures below:

Use of fidelity monitoring checklist by SFP trainer and site coordinator
Review of recorded video-taped sessions by SFP trainer (if requested)

Modifiable Components

SFP has been delivered in several countries including UK, USA, Canada, Thailand, South Africa, and Austria. Culturally adapted versions of SFP are available. In addition to the original format for SFP curriculum delivery, SFP can be delivered via; 1) SFP Video family discussion groups; 2) SFP home-study; 3) SFP in-home coaching; 4) SFP DVD through middle school health classes; and 5) SFP joint online family classes. Other SFP variants include: 1) A shorter 7-session SFP version, for universal use in families with lower risk children aged 10-14 years, 2) A new 11 sessions SFP 7-17 years curriculum, for universal use in families with children aged 7-17 years.

Supports - Rating: 3

The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) was developed in 1982 by Dr. Karol Kumpfer. SFP training, implementation support and programme evaluation across Europe is provided by Strengthening Families Program, LLC. USA.

Support for Organisation/Practice

Implementation Support

SFP trainers offer training to practitioners to support programme delivery. SFP trainers can conduct one site visit (during each course) to check quality in programme delivery and evaluate programme fidelity. SFP staff offer technical assistance, grant writing and programme evaluation consultation services to organisations delivering the programme. On request, SFP staff can also conduct periodic site visits (every six months). Tailored outcome evaluation services can also be provided.

Licence Requirements

A license is required to copy programme materials. This is included in the training costs.

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs includes $4,100 for a two-day practitioner training with one SFP trainer for a maximum of 16 practitioners, or $4,900 for the same two-day training with two SFP trainers for a maximum of 36 practitioners. The fee includes license to copy materials to be used by the organisation, technical assistance during programme implementation and curriculum materials on CD in one language (English or Spanish) and in one age group (0-3 years, 3-5 years, 6-11 years or 12-16 years). After training, additional curriculum materials for other age groups or language can be purchased for $300. Practitioners who want to deliver the programme without training can purchase the SFP curriculum materials on CD for $450. Organisations can negotiate with a hosting organisation to have their practitioners trained at the hosting agency. Supervision can be provided by SFP trainer at $1000 per day. Costs do not include travel, shipping, or printing. Packages for family home use include SFP home-use DVD package which cost $5 per DVD, and SFP online lessons which cost $5 for one year online access.

Building Staff Competency

Qualifications Required

SFP is typically delivered by teachers, counsellors, community agency staff or persons recruited from within the community with effective parent or children group facilitating skills. Practitioners should be charismatic and should enjoy teaching. Knowledge and experience in behavioural psychology is beneficial. A minimum of four practitioners are needed to deliver the sessions. Practitioners delivering each session should typically be a man and a woman, and should (as much as possible) ethnically reflect the families in the sessions. A site coordinator is needed to supervise practitioners, to handle site logistics, and resolve issues with recruitment of families into the programme.

Training Requirements

Practitioner training prior to programme delivery is highly recommended. Practitioners receive a two-day on-site training which covers SFP theoretical concepts, families’ recruitment and retention, curriculum overview and group facilitation. Videos are used to demonstrate SFP key concepts. During training, practitioners co-present a 20-minute section of a parent or teen/child session. Curriculum manuals are provided during training. Practitioners who do not attend training can purchase curriculum materials. Site coordinators receive a site coordinator duties list and an extra two hours of training.

Supervision Requirements

Practitioner supervision is not required but can be provided by an SFP trainer. The SFP trainer visits the site after the fourth or fifth session to check quality in programme delivery, evaluate programme fidelity and answer any implementation questions. Site coordinators can also supervise practitioners using the programme fidelity checklist.

Evidence - Rating: 1+ - 4

Theory of Change

The Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) is guided by cognitive–behavioural psychology, social learning theory and family systems theory. This is evident in the key concepts taught in the SFP curriculum (including therapeutic and problem-solving communication methods and strategies for reducing coercive parent-child interactions), as well as techniques for fostering behavioural change in families (including reframing and cognitive restructuring methods).

Infants and Toddlers: 0-36 months - Rating: 1+

Research Design & Number of Studies

No research studies or evaluations for children aged 0-36 months could be identified. Evidence is available for the age ranges 3–5 years, 6-12 years and 13-18 years.

Preschool: 3 to 5 years - Rating: 3

Research Design & Number of Studies

The best evidence for children aged 3-5 years comes from two studies. The first study is an internal quasi experimental (pre and post-test) study, involving over 1,600 families with children aged 3-16 years (Kumpfer et al, 2010). The study reported separate data for children aged 3-5 years (n=19). The second study is an external, single group pre-test post-test study, conducted in 411 families with children aged 3-11 (Brook et al, 2016). The second study did not report separate data for children aged 3-5 years.

Outcomes Achieved

Child Outcomes

Significantly increased concentration and social skills at post-test (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced overt aggression (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2010), depression, and covert aggression at post-test (Kumpfer et al, 2010)

Parent outcomes

Significantly improved parental involvement, parental supervision, parental efficacy, positive parenting (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2010) and parenting skills (Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced family conflict (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2010), and parent depression (Brook et al, 2016)
Significantly improved family communication, family organisation, and family resilience (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2010), as well as increased family cohesion (Kumpfer et al, 2010)

Key Reference

Brook, J., Akin, B. A., Lloyd, M., Bhattarai, J., & McDonald, T. P. (2016). The use of prospective versus retrospective pretests with child-welfare involved families. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 2740–2752.

Kumpfer, K. L., Whiteside, H. O., Greene, J. A., & Allen, K. C. (2010). Effectiveness outcomes of four age versions of the Strengthening Families Program in statewide field sites. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 14(3), 211-229

Primary school: 6 to 12 years - Rating: 4

Research Design & Number of Studies

The best evidence for children aged 6-12 years old comes from four studies; one internally conducted Randomised Control Trial (RCT) (Gottfredson et al, 2006); two internally conducted quasi experimental studies with pre and post-test design (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010); and one externally conducted, single group, pre-test, post-test study (Brook et al, 2016). The RCT included 715 families with children aged 7-11 years. Outcomes observed for the full Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) intervention group in the RCT have been reported. One quasi experimental study included 250 families of children aged 12-16 years (Kumpfer et al, 2012). The study did not report separate data for children aged 12 years. The second quasi experimental study (Kumpfer et al, 2010) included over 1600 families with children aged 3-16 years. Separate data for children in the SFP 6-11 age group have been reported (Kumpfer et al, 2010). The last study included 411 caregivers of children aged between 3 and 11 years (Brook et al, 2016). Separate data for children aged 6-11 was not reported.

Outcomes Achieved

Child Outcomes

Compared to the control group (who mainly received no treatment or standard treatment), there were significantly improved parent reports of child positive adjustment at post-intervention (pairwise contrasts only) (Gottfredson et al, 2006)
Significantly increased concentration and social skills at post-test (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced covert aggression, depression, and overt aggression at post-test (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced criminal behaviour (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2012); and alcohol and drug use at post-test (Kumpfer et al, 2012)

Parent outcomes at post-test

Significantly improved parental involvement, parental supervision, parental efficacy, positive parenting (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010) and parenting skills (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced parental alcohol and drug use (Kumpfer et al, 2010); family conflict (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010), and parent depression (Brook et al, 2016)
Significantly improved family communication, family organisation, and family resilience (Brook et al, 2016; Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010), as well as increased family cohesion (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)

Key Reference

Brook, J., Akin, B. A., Lloyd, M., Bhattarai, J., & McDonald, T. P. (2016). The use of prospective versus retrospective pretests with child-welfare involved families

Kumpfer, K. L., Xie, J., & O’Driscoll, R. (2012). Effectiveness of a culturally adapted Strengthening Families Program 12–16 years for high-risk Irish families. Child & Youth Care Forum, 41(2), 173-195

Gottfredson, D., Kumpfer, K. L., Polizzi-Fox, D., Wilson, D., Puryear, V, Beatty, P., & Vilmenay, M. (2006). Strengthening Washington, D.C. Families Project: A randomized effectiveness trial of family-based prevention. Prevention Science, 7(1), 57-74

Adolescents: 13 to 18 years - Rating: 4

Research Design & Number of Studies

The best evidence for children aged 13-18 years old comes from two internally conducted quasi experimental studies (pre and post-test design). One study included over 1600 families with children aged 3-16 years (i.e. SFP 3-5 years, SFP 6-11 years, SFP 10-14 years [a seven week SFP version], and SFP 12-16 years) (Kumpfer et al, 2010). Separate data available for children assigned to the SFP 12-16 years group have been reported. The second study included 250 families with children aged between 12-16 years (Kumpfer et al, 2012).

Outcomes Achieved

At post-test, the following outcomes were observed:

Child Outcomes

Significantly increased concentration and social skills (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced covert aggression, depression, and overt aggression at post-test (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly reduced criminal behaviour, and alcohol and drug use (Kumpfer et al, 2012)

Parent outcomes

Significantly improved parental involvement, parental supervision, parental efficacy, positive parenting, and parenting skills (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)

Significantly reduced parental alcohol and drug use (Kumpfer et al, 2010); and family conflict (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)
Significantly improved family cohesion, family communication, family organisation, and family resilience (Kumpfer et al, 2012; Kumpfer et al, 2010)

Key Reference

Self-assessment

Strengthening Families Programme

Compare

Usability Rating

4

Supports Rating

3

Evidence Rating

1+ - 4

Fit Rating

NYR

Capacity Rating

NYR

Need Rating

NYR

The Hexagon: An Exploration Tool

The Hexagon can be used as a planning tool to guide selection and evaluate potential programs and practice for use.

Evidence

1+ - 4

Fit

NYR

Capacity

NYR

Supports

3

Usability

4

Need

NYR

Infants and Toddlers: 0-36 months - Rating: 1+

Preschool: 3 to 5 years - Rating: 3

Primary school: 6 to 12 years - Rating: 4

Adolescents: 13 to 18 years - Rating: 4

Need

Fit

Capacity

Self-assessment

Strengthening Families Programme

Compare

Usability Rating

4

Supports Rating

3

Evidence Rating

1+ - 4

Fit Rating

NYR

Capacity Rating

NYR

Need Rating

NYR

The Hexagon: An Exploration Tool

The Hexagon can be used as a planning tool to guide selection and evaluate potential programs and practice for use.

Evidence

1+ - 4

Fit

NYR

Capacity

NYR

Supports

3

Usability

4

Need

NYR

Infants and Toddlers: 0-36 months - Rating: 1+

Preschool: 3 to 5 years - Rating: 3

Primary school: 6 to 12 years - Rating: 4

Adolescents: 13 to 18 years - Rating: 4

Need

Fit

Capacity

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