LAY THERAPY - INTIMACY AS A FORM OF TREATMENT FOR ABUSIVE PARENTS (FROM CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT - ISSUES IN INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION - V 2, 1978, BY MICHAEL L LAUDERDALE, ET AL - SEE NCJ-59285)

• NCJ Number: 59291
• Author(s): S B LANE; V VANDYKE
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Health and Human Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CHILD ABUSE IS VIEWED IN RELATION TO PROBLEM-PRODUCING BEHAVIOR OF PARENTS, AND ELEMENTS OF LAY THERAPY AS ONE TREATMENT MODE FOR ABUSIVE PARENTS ARE NOTED (SCREENING, CASE SELECTION, SUPERVISION, AND EVALUATION).

Abstract

TWO LAY THERAPY PROGRAMS WERE OBSERVED. THE FIRST WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THE FAMILY CENTER IN WESTMINSTER, COLO., A FEDERALLY-FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECT IN CHILD ABUSE. THE SECOND WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THE PEORIA AREA OFFICE OF THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICE. LINE-STAFF INPUT TO THE PROCESS OF LAY THERAPY WAS ENCOURAGED IN THE PROGRAMS BY CONDUCTING INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP CONFERENCES. AN INITIAL CONSIDERATION WAS WHETHER LAY THERAPISTS WERE TO BE PAID. MOST WERE PAID IN BOTH PROGRAMS, ALTHOUGH SOME VOLUNTEERS WERE EMPLOYED. IT WAS FELT THAT RECRUITMENT FROM ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS WOULD BE POSSIBLE BY PAYING LAY THERAPISTS. APPLICANTS FOR LAY THERAPY POSITIONS WERE REFERRED BY PERSONS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAMS. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS WERE ARRANGED AFTER REVIEWING APPLICATIONS. FACTORS CONSIDERED IN SELECTING LAY THERAPISTS WERE ADEQUACY OF APPLICANT'S PARENTING, ABILITY TO BE A NURTURER, ADEQUACY OF COPING MECHANISMS IN HANDLING PERSONAL PROBLEMS, THE EXISTENCE OF A FUNCTIONAL PERSONAL SUPPORT SYSTEM, THE ABILITY TO SEPARATE NEEDS OF PARENTS FROM NEEDS OF CHILDREN, FEELINGS ABOUT DISCIPLINE, THE ABILITY TO WORK IN A TEAM STRUCTURE, ACCEPTANCE OF PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP, AND FEELINGS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND ABUSIVE FAMILIES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT PERSONS SELECTED TO BE LAY THERAPISTS SHOULD BE PARENTS THEMSELVES. CONTENT, AFFECTIVE, AND SKILL AREAS NECESSARY IN THE TRAINING OF LAY THERAPISTS CONCERNED BASIC INFORMATION ON CHILD ABUSE, SENSITIVITY TRAINING RELATED TO CHILD ABUSE, LEGAL ISSUES IN CHILD ABUSE, THE SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROUP COHESION. CRITERIA WERE DEVISED FOR THE SELECTION OF CASES TO BE HANDLED BY LAY THERAPISTS. PARAMETERS OF SIGNIFICANCE IN THE EVALUATION OF LAY THERAPY PROGRAMS WERE IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF CHILD ABUSE, THE LENGTH OF TREATMENT FOR CASES WITH AND WITHOUT LAY THERAPISTS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT, TIME AND COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSES, AND BEHAVIORAL INDICATORS OF PARENTS (SUPPORT SYSTEM, ABILITY OF PARENTS TO INITIATE RELATIONSHIPS, AND ABILITY OF PARENTS TO INITIATE ACTIVITIES). LAY THERAPY IS VIEWED AS PART OF A COMPLEX TREATMENT APPROACH TO THE HANDLING OF CHILD ABUSE, AND THE EFFICACY OF LAY THERAPY IS DEMONSTRATED IN STATISTICS ON THE TWO PROGRAMS IN COLORADO AND ILLINOIS. (DEP)