Telehealth Parent Training for Challenging Behavior in Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Children with developmental disabilities (DD) exhibit an increased rate of challenging behaviors; however, parents experience significant barriers to accessing mental health services. This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of telehealth parent training for challenging behaviors among children with DD on child and parent outcomes. Sixteen clinical trials were included. Results indicated a significant positive effect on parent report of reduction of challenging behaviors (g = 0.28). Furthermore, small to moderate significant improvements were found for parent distress (g = 0.39) and positive parenting practices (g = 0.36), and parent self-efficacy (g = 0.36). Telehealth delivery format (synchronous vs. asynchronous) did not moderate any outcomes. Implications of findings, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed.