The process in-between: parents’ perceptions about how practitioners promote the outcomes of the Incredible Years Basic Program

Practitioners are recognized as one of the key componentsthat make parenting interventions meaningful and helpfulto families, and the impact of practitioners' skills on theoutcomes of parenting interventions has been consistentlyrecognized in research. However, the mechanisms and on-going processes through which the practitioners' actionsand skills may impact parental engagement and other out-comes remain unknown. This qualitative study exploredparents' perceptions about the processes through whichspecific practitioners' skills contribute to the outcomesof the Incredible Years Basic Parent Program (IYPP).Twenty-four Portuguese parents who had completed theIYPP were interviewed in four focus groups, and the datawere analyzed through thematic analysis. Practitioners'skills were perceived by parents as having an impact ontheir engagement in the program, their process of change,and their interpersonal relationships. Practitioners wereperceived to demonstrate their influence in the interven-tion process through six different roles: the roles of a con-fidant, a positive coach, a partner, a maestro, a tailor, anda congruent person. This study reinforces the prominentrole of practitioners in enabling parental outcomes ofan evidence-based parenting program and suggests thatmore attention should be paid to continuing supervisionand other professional development processes.