Frequently asked questions about Triple P

1. How is it different?
The program is based on self-regulation. The goals are for children to develop emotional self-regulation and for parents to become resourceful, independent problem-solvers. As families determine their own particular goals, the program is tailored to suit their aspirations. Practitioners consult and guide through active skills training. Parents decide what they wish to take on.

2. How does it add to programs already in place?
The focus on prevention and the flexibility of Triple P’s delivery options make it a cost-effective program, offering only as much contact and assistance parents need. It also applies to a broad age range from birth to adolescence.

3. Will it work with all communities/ cultures?
Triple P has been well-received by many different socio economic and cultural groups. All major validation studies have included high-risk, low-income families. Where mixed samples were used, socioeconomic status and parent education levels have not predicted outcome.

4. Does it require a high level of literacy?
The parent materials are designed for the reading level of an average 11-year-old. Where literacy is a major difficulty, the program uses DVD's and behavior rehearsal so that it can be delivered without reading material.

5. Will it work with complex cases?
Trials have specifically evaluated Triple P with clinically depressed, maritally discordant and highly distressed parents and with step-families. All groups have had successful outcomes. Trials are also in progress with maltreating parents and families of children with disabilities and challenging behavior. These are also yielding promising results.

6. Is it an appropriate, intervention in child protection cases?
Triple P has been widely used as an abuse prevention strategy. One of the major effects of the program is to reduce parents’ use of corporal punishment. The Pathways Triple P program, which targets parents at risk of maltreating their children by teaching them anger management and other skills, is currently being trialed as an abuse prevention strategy with promising preliminary findings. In Singapore, Triple P is the court-mandated parenting intervention program.

7. Is it appropriate for cultural groups?
There is considerable evidence that Triple P procedures are well accepted by a diverse range of cultural groups. The program is being translated into several languages including Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin and Malay and is being used by indigenous groups in Australia. Ethnic variations have not changed any procedures, only the examples that a practitioner uses when delivering content.