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<title>Jay's World of Abstracts 00021: The Trainer in Effective Family
Strengthening
Interventions</title>
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content="An abstarct of research on trainer efficacy in family intervention programs.">
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<h2 align="right">Jay's World of Abstracts 00021</h2><hr>
<div align="center"><h1>Effective Family
Strengthening
Interventions</h1>
Karol L. Kumpfer, Ph.D. and Rose Alvarado, Ph.D.<br>for<br>
U.S. Department of Justice<br>
Office of Justice Programs<br>
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention</div>
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<i>[Standard disclaimer: The nature of abstracts are that they are pieces of something larger. Not everyone is going to be happy with my choice of abstracts from any larger work, so if you are dissatisfied, I would refer you to the original document, which should be able to be found on the Internet. I encourage others to make their own abstracts to satisfy their needs. I would be happy to publish them here.</i>
<h3>Jay's Introduction</h3>
<p>I was an intelletual rebel in college, which my professors either loved or loathed. I read a good deal of Carl Rogers because I found a kinship there that I am still only realizing. Detractors of Rogers always bring up the fact that though he was extremely effective at interventions, his methods and results could not readily be replicated by others. It was finally determined that his methods worked for him because of Carl's personal efficacy. </p>
<p>I have found the same is true for many people. It is politically incorrect to say so, but some people are better at some things than others, and that this difference in all of us cannot be fully made up for by education or experience. You have likely seen it in the difference between great teachers and adaquate ones. It is not typically just a function of things like persistance, education, or desire. You either have this efficacy as a part of you or not.</p>
<p>Here is some research that indicates some in-born characteristics that prove very useful when looking for interventionists. A program (especially when working with families) can flourish or die on the efficacy of the person leading it. Carl Rogers is avenged!</p>
<i>I produced this abstract using time paid for by the Quay County Maternal Child and Community Health Council with funds from the New Mexico Department of Health.</i>
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<h3>Abstracts</h3>
<h4>The Trainer</h4>
<p>The effectiveness of the program is
highly dependent on the trainer�s efficacy
and characteristics. Although little data
exist on how much of the effectiveness
of a family program can be attributed
to the trainer versus the standardized
curriculum, estimates indicate that program
effectiveness is 50- to 80-percent
dependent on the quality of the trainer.
Qualitative evaluations of trainer effectiveness,
participant satisfaction ratings,
and long-term followup interviews
with participants (Harrison, Proschauer,
and Kumpfer, 1995) delineated nine important
staff characteristics for program
effectiveness:
<ul>
<li>Communication skills in presenting
and listening.
<li>Warmth, genuineness, and empathy,
which were first detailed in studies of
therapists� effectiveness by Carkhuff
and Truax (1969).
<li>Openness and willingness to share.
<li>Sensitivity to family and group
processes.
<li>Dedication to, care for, and concern
about families.
<li>Flexibility.
<li>Humor.
<li>Credibility.
<li>Personal experience with children as
a parent or childcare provider.
</ul></p>
Staff who share the same general philosophy
as the program are most effective.
Personable, caring, empathetic, and experienced
staff receive the highest ratings
from program participants, retain families
better, and produce better results. The
best family and parenting programs are
only as effective as the quality of the staff
delivering the program.
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