Research evidence indicates that children from single parent families are at risk emotionally, academically and socially. A significant disproportion of children from single parent households receive mental health treatment relative to children from intact two-parent families. Research further suggests that the limited feelings of self efficacy of the custodial parent to cope with the demands of the single parent role may be a major contributor to the dysfunction of the child. The proposed research project will assess the overall treatment and cost effectiveness of a traditional clinical approach and a social role training model with single parent families who present a symptomatic child for treatment. Interactions among client variables, type of intervention and outcome will also be analyzed. The social role training model provides tutor advocacy services and peer group exposure to improve the academic and social peer functioning of the child and educational modules to teach specific coping skills and to increase the feelings of efficacy of the single parent.
