Parents of moody teens needed for UQ study

Parents concerned about the moods and/or behaviour of their first-year high-school children are needed for a UQ study.

Researcher Helen Stallman from the University’s School of Psychology said interested parents would take part in a new program, Teen Triple P, designed to help improve parenting skills.

Developed by Associate Professor Alan Ralph and Professor Matthew Sanders at UQ’s Parenting and Family Support Centre, the program is an extension of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) that has proven successful with parents of younger children.

“Children and parents can face new challenges and difficulties as the children enter high school and become teenagers. Teen Triple P can help parents improve their skills for developing good relationships with their child, promoting their child`s development and strategies for dealing with problem behaviours,” Ms Stallman said.

The program consists of either four weekly group sessions and four follow-up telephone calls with a Triple P therapist or a work-book that parents complete over eight weeks supported by four telephone calls.

Parents interested in taking part in the study should contact the Parenting and Family Support Centre at The University of Queensland (telephone 07 3365 8870).

Media contact: Helen Stallman (telephone 07 3365 8870 at work, 07 3374 0401 at home or mobile 0414 547 903) or Shirley Glaister at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2339 or email: s.glaister@mailbox.uq.edu.au).