Effective Black Parenting Program

Effective Black Parenting Program (EBPP) is a group-based parent skills training program designed to serve Black and African American families. EBPP aims to promote family pride and cohesion and to help families cope with the negative effects of racism. In the first session, instructors introduce a framework called the Pyramid of Success for Black Children to help parents set goals for their children and identify what their children need to reach those goals. The remaining sessions teach parenting skills and educate parents on how children learn and develop. Skills taught include setting family rules, using positive consequences to reward respectful and desirable child behavior, and using corrective consequences to address disrespectful and undesirable child behavior. The program also addresses the topics of drug use, single parenting, and child abuse. After each session, parents are provided with home activities to practice the skills taught during the session.

Instructors are trained to use culturally sensitive approaches and teach culturally specific parenting strategies for Black and African American parents. Culturally specific strategies include positive communication about heritage, coping with racism, establishing daily chit-chat times for parents and children to communicate, and using African proverbs to illustrate the cultural roots of program content.

EBPP is rated as a promising practice because at least one study achieved a rating of moderate or high on study design and execution and demonstrated a favorable effect on a target outcome.

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Jun 2022

Sources

The program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information were informed by the following sources: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare, and the studies reviewed.

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.

Target Population

EBPP is designed to serve Black and African American families with children age 17 and younger.

Program or Service Delivery and Implementation

Dosage

EBPP is delivered over 14 weekly or bi-weekly group sessions of 15–30 parents. Each session lasts 3 hours. After parents attend all 14 sessions, there is a graduation ceremony.

Location/Delivery Setting

Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings

EBPP can be delivered in schools, religious institutions, community-based organizations, outpatient clinics, and participants’ homes.

Location/Delivery Settings Observed in the Research

Community Center (e.g., religious or recreational facility)
School

Education, Certifications and Training

The organization implementing EBPP determines the education requirements for instructors. It is recommended that instructors have prior education and training in child development, group dynamics, Black studies, and behavior modification or behavior analysis. Most instructors trained to deliver EBPP are Black and African American. It is recommended that instructors represent the ethnic/racial background of participants.

Participation in an instructor training workshop is required. The training workshop is delivered online or in-person over 5 days. Instructors learn how to teach the program’s parenting skills, strategies, and topics. Instructors become certified to deliver EBPP upon completion of the training.

Program or Service Documentation

Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review

Alvy, K. T. (2019). Effective Black Parenting Program: Instructor’s manual (3rd ed.). Center for the Improvement of Child Caring.

Available languages

EBPP materials are available in English.

Other supporting materials

Training Information

For More Information

Website: https://www.dcctf.org/aboutebp

Phone: (202) 299-0900

Email: info@effectiveblackparenting.com

Note: The details on Dosage; Location; Education, Certifications, and Training; Other Supporting Materials; and For More Information sections above are provided to website users for informational purposes only. This information is not exhaustive and may be subject to change.

Extent of Evidence

Results of Search and Review	Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Effective Black Parenting Program
Identified in Search	6
Eligible for Review	1
Rated High	0
Rated Moderate	1
Rated Low	0
Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm	0

Summary of Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings
Adult well-being: Positive parenting practices	0.56 21	1 (3)	173	Favorable: 2 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0

Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group.

Individual Study Findings

Outcome	Effect Size and Implied Percentile Effect	N of Studies (Findings)	N of Participants	Summary of Findings	Months after treatment when outcome measured
Adult well-being: Positive parenting practices	0.56 21	1 (3)	173	Favorable: 2 No Effect: 1 Unfavorable: 0	-
Study 14198 - Effective Black Parenting Program vs. No Intervention Control (Cohort 1) (Myers, 1992)
Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire for Mothers: Hostile Rejection	0.41 15	-	92	-	0
Study 14198 - Effective Black Parenting Program vs. No Intervention Control (Cohort 2) (Myers, 1992)
Parenting Practices Inventory: Hitting/Spanking	0.66 * 24	-	81	-	0
Parenting Practices Inventory: Praise	0.76 * 27	-	81	-	0

*p <.05

Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention group and a negative number favors the comparison group. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Section 5.10.4 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications.

Only publications with eligible contrasts that met design and execution standards are included in the individual study findings table.

Full citations for the studies shown in the table are available in the "Studies Reviewed" section.

Studies Reviewed

Sometimes study results are reported in more than one document, or a single document reports results from multiple studies. Studies are identified below by their Prevention Services Clearinghouse study identification numbers. To receive a rating of supported or well-supported, the favorable evidence for a program or service must have been obtained from research conducted in a usual care or practice setting.

Studies Rated Moderate

Study 14198

Myers, H. F., Alvy, K. T., Arrington, A., Richardson, M. A., Marigna, M., Huff, R., Main, M., & Newcomb, M. D. (1992). The impact of a parent training program on inner-city African-American families. Journal of Community Psychology, 20(2), 132-147. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6629(199204)20:2%3C132::AID-JCOP2290200204%3E3.0.CO;2-Z

Studies Not Eligible for Review

Study 14193

Barnet, B., Duggan, A. K., Devoe, M., & Burrell, L. (2002). The effect of volunteer home visitation for adolescent mothers on parenting and mental health outcomes: A randomized trial. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 156(12), 1216-1222. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.156.12.1216

This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).

Study 14194

Farooq, D. I. M., Jefferson, J. L., & Fleming, J. (2005). The effect of an Adlerian video-based parent education program on parent's perception of children's behavior: A study of African American parents. Journal of Professional Counseling, 33(1), 21-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/15566382.2005.12033810

This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).

Study 14195

Gross, D., Johnson, T., Ridge, A., Garvey, C., Julion, W., Treysman, A. B., Breitenstein, S., & Fogg, L. (2011). Cost-Effectiveness of childcare discounts on parent participation in preventive parent training in low-income communities. Journal of Primary Prevention, 32(5-6), 283-298. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-011-0255-7

This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).

Study 14196

Leathers, S. J., Spielfogel, J. E., McMeel, L. S., & Atkins, M. S. (2011). Use of a parent management training intervention with urban foster parents: A pilot study. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(7), 1270-1279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.02.022

This study is ineligible for review because it is not a study of the program or service under review (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.6).

Study 14197

Myers, H. F., Alvy, K. T., Richardson, M., Arrington, A., Marigna, M., Huff, R., Main, M., Newcomb, M. D. (1990). The Effective Black Parenting Program: A controlled research study with inner city black families. Center for the Improvement of Child Caring.

This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible publication source (Study Eligibility Criterion 4.1.2).