Technology-Enabled Behavioral Parent Training

Behavior disorders, including oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are some of the most common child mental health problems. Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) programs are the gold standard intervention for behavior disorders. BPT programs include several interventions that are all designed to target the coercive cycle in the parent-child dyad. As such, the parent is considered the primary change agent. Despite decades of research establishing the efficacy of these interventions, families often have difficulty engaging in these interventions to the extent necessary to be effective. In the past decade, researchers have been looking toward new technologies to enhance families’ access to and engagement in these interventions, and, in turn, the efficacy of these interventions in real-world settings. Technology-enabled BPT programs span from fully automated, self-guided interventions to adjunctive digital technologies to telehealth-delivered BPT programs. This chapter will provide an overview of these technology-enabled interventions, highlight the current research on technology-enabled BPT, discuss important cultural considerations, and provide a case example.