This article reports on the findings and methodology of an evaluation of the Parenting with Love and Limits (PLL) model, which was developed to address poor parenting techniques that may increase the risk that their adolescent children will develop oppositional and conduct disorders.
In an experimental design, the PLL treatment group demonstrated a significant reduction in aggressive behaviors, depression, attention deficit disorder problems, and externalizing problems, as measured by the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL). Dropout rates among parents and teenagers in the treatment group were extremely low, with an 85-percent attendance rate by the parents and an 80-percent attendance rate by youths. Compared with the control group, the PLL treatment group significantly improved parents' readiness to change and resulted in significantly lower recidivism rates (16 percent PLL vs. 55 percent control) over a 12-month follow-up period. 2 tables and 65 references (publisher abstract modified)