Systematic Training for Effective Parenting
Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) is a group parenting education program designed for parents of children ages 6–12. STEP aims to teach parents how to encourage cooperative behaviors, avoid reinforcing unacceptable behaviors, change dysfunctional relationships with their children, and prevent substance use.
Group leaders guide participants through weekly topic-focused sessions. Topics include understanding yourself and your child, understanding your child’s beliefs and feelings as well as your own, encouraging your child and yourself, listening to and talking to your child, helping children learn to cooperate, using consistent disciplinary methods, and preventing drug use.
During each session, group leaders facilitate a discussion centered on the session’s topic that incorporates readings and activities parents completed before the session, show a video that models parenting skills and then lead a conversation about the video content, deliver a skill-building exercise, review a drug use prevention handout, provide a lesson summary, and assign readings and activities to complete before the next lesson.
STEP does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies of the program that achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution demonstrated a favorable effect on a target outcome.
Date Last Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Date Program or Service Description Last Updated: Jul 2025
Date Originally Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Jul 2025
Sources
The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: 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, download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0
Target Population
STEP is designed for parents of children ages 6–12.
Dosage
Group leaders typically deliver STEP in seven weekly 2-hour group sessions. Group leaders can also choose to deliver STEP in alternative formats. In the first alternative format, a “brown bag lunch format”, group leaders deliver STEP for 7 weeks with 14 twice-weekly 1-hour group sessions. The second alternative format is an abbreviated course that group leaders deliver in seven weekly 1-hour group sessions. In this format, groups leaders do not cover drug prevention and awareness content during the group sessions and instead distribute that content in handouts for parents to read on their own. If needed, group leaders may add extra sessions to allow time for discussion if needed. In the third alternative format, leaders deliver STEP in a home setting, typically in individual 1-hour sessions, which can range in frequency from weekly to monthly.
Location/Delivery Setting
Recommended Locations/Delivery Settings
Group leaders can deliver STEP in hospitals, outpatient clinics, community organizations, schools, or in-home settings.
Education, Certifications and Training
STEP does not have education or formal training requirements for group leaders. Group leaders include individuals with backgrounds in counseling, psychology, psychiatry, social work, ministry, pediatrics, education, or nursing, as well as laypersons.
Program or Service Documentation
Book/Manual/Available documentation used for review
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1997). Systematic Training for Effective Parenting: Leader’s resource guide. STEP Publishers.
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1997). Systematic Training for Effective Parenting: The parent’s handbook [Book]. STEP Publishers.
- Dinkmeyer, D., Sr., McKay, G. D., & Dinkmeyer, D., Jr. (1997). Systematic Training for Effective Parenting: The parent’s handbook [DVD]. STEP Publishers.
Available languages
STEP materials are available in English and Spanish.
For More Information
Website: www.steppublishers.com
Phone: (802) 257-6900
Email: customerservice@echopointbooks.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.
| Results of Search and Review | Number of Studies Identified and Reviewed for Systematic Training for Effective Parenting |
|---|---|
| Identified in Search | 7 |
| Eligible for Review | 5 |
| Rated High | 0 |
| Rated Moderate | 1 |
| Rated Low | 4 |
| Reviewed Only for Risk of Harm | 0 |
| Outcome | Effect Size
|
95% Confidence Interval
|
Implied Percentile Effect
|
N of Studies (Findings) | N of Participants | Summary of Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning | -0.13 | [-0.34, 0.08] | -5 | 1 (4) | 647 |
Favorable:
0 No Effect: 4 Unfavorable: 0 |
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention condition and a negative number favors the comparison condition. A range of comparison conditions, including no intervention, minimal intervention, placebo or attention, treatment as usual, and head-to-head comparison conditions are eligible for review (see Section 4.1.7 of the Handbook Version 2.0). Different types of comparison conditions may affect the magnitude of the effect sizes across studies. For example, an intervention compared to a no treatment comparison condition may produce a larger effect size than the same intervention compared to another intervention because the other intervention may itself be effective. The effect sizes shown may be derived from samples that overlap across studies. See the Individual Study Findings table for information about the specific comparison conditions used in each study and the Studies Reviewed section for information about any overlapping samples. The effect sizes presented here are provided for informational purposes only and are not used in determining a program or service rating.
| Outcome | Effect Size
|
Implied Percentile Effect
|
Months after treatment when outcome measured
|
Number of Participants | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child well-being: Behavioral and emotional functioning | |||||
| Study 15263 - STEP vs. Comparison (Jonyniene, 2015) | |||||
| Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale – Lithuanian Version: School Task | -0.15 | -5 | 0 | 647 | |
| Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale – Lithuanian Version: Responsible Behavior | -0.11 | -4 | 0 | 647 | |
| Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale – Lithuanian Version: Responsible Behavior | -0.15 | -5 | 3 | 251 | |
| Adlerian Parental Assessment of Child Behavior Scale – Lithuanian Version: School Task | -0.13 | -5 | 3 | 251 | |
*p <.05
Note: For the effect sizes and implied percentile effects reported in the table, a positive number favors the intervention condition and a negative number favors the comparison condition. Effect sizes and implied percentile effects were calculated by the Prevention Services Clearinghouse as described in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0, Sections 6.4 and 6.5 and may not align with effect sizes reported in individual publications. The Prevention Services Clearinghouse uses information reported in study documents and, when necessary, information provided by study authors in response to author queries to assign study ratings and calculate effect sizes (see Section 8.4.2 in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0). The Prevention Services Clearinghouse typically relies on study-reported p-values to form the basis of the assessment of statistical significance for a finding, but will perform its own statistical test of a finding using any available information in study documents or author queries, as needed (see Section 6.3 in the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0). As a result, the effect sizes and statistical significance reported in the table may not align with the estimates as they are reported in study documents.
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.
The participant characteristics display is an initial version. We encourage those interested in providing feedback to send suggestions to preventionservices@abtglobal.com.
The table below displays locations, the year, and participant demographics for studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Participant characteristics for studies with more than one intervention versus comparison group pair that received moderate or high ratings are shown separately in the table. Please note, the information presented here uses terminology directly from the study documents, when available. Studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution that did not include relevant participant demographic information would not be represented in this table.
For more information on how Clearinghouse reviewers record the information in the table, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
| Characteristics of the Participants in the Studies with Moderate or High Ratings | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Study Location
|
Study Year
|
Demographic Characteristics
|
Populations of Interest*
|
Household Socioeconomic Status
|
||
| Study 15263 - STEP vs. Comparison | ||||||
| Characteristics of the Children and Youth | ||||||
| Lithuania | 2011 |
Average age: 8.75 years; Age range: 5-13 years
59% Boys
41% Girls |
-- | -- | ||
| Characteristics of the Adults, Parents, or Caregivers | ||||||
| Lithuania | 2011 |
Average age: 37 years; Age range: 25-65 years
94% Lithuanian
6% Other
88% Female
12% Male |
-- |
80% Employment: full-time 5% Employment: part-time 15% Employment: none |
||
“--” indicates information not reported in the study.
* The information about disabilities is based on initial coding. For more information on how the Clearinghouse recorded disability information for the initial release, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
Note: Citations for the documents associated with each 5-digit study number shown in the table can be found in the “Studies Reviewed” section below. Study settings and participant demographics are recorded for all studies that received moderate or high ratings on design and execution and that reported the information. Studies that did not report any information about setting or participant demographics are not displayed. For more information on how participant characteristics are recorded, please see our Resource Guide on Study Participant Characteristics and Settings.
Studies Rated Moderate
Study 15263Jonyniene, J., Kern, R. M., & Gfroerer, K. P. (2015). Efficacy of Lithuanian Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) on parenting style and perception of child behavior. Family Journal, 23(4), 392–406. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480715574473
This study was conducted in a usual care or practice setting (Handbook Version 2.0, Section 7.2.2)In addition to full sample analyses, this study also reported analyses that included the following subgroups:
- Gender: Male
- Gender: Female
Studies Rated Low
Study 15267Ceballos, P. L., Lin, Y.-W., Bratton, S. C., & Lindo, N. (2019) Effects of parenting programs on Latina mothers' parental stress and their children's internalizing behavioral problems. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 5(1), 73-88. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2018.1556983
This study received a low rating because it did not meet design confound standards.Study 15261
Fennell, D. C., & Fishel, A. H. (1998). Parent education: An evaluation of STEP on abusive parents' perceptions and abuse potential. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 11(3), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6171.1998.tb00022.x
This study received a low rating because it did not meet design confound standards.Study 15264
Sangawi, H., Adams, J., & Reissland, N. (2018). Effects of parental intervention on behavioural and psychological outcomes for Kurdish parents and their children. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 24(5), 459–468. https://doi.org/10.26719/2018.24.5.459
This study received a low rating because it did not meet design confound standards.Study 15266
Steele, H., Murphy, A., Bonuck, K., Meissner, P., & Steele, M. (2019). Randomized control trial report on the effectiveness of Group Attachment-Based Intervention (GABI©): Improvements in the parent-child relationship not seen in the control group. Development and Psychopathology, 31(1), 203–217. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579418001621
This study received a low rating because none of the target outcomes met measurement standards.Studies Not Eligible for Review
Study 15262
Gillette, N. (1989). Evaluation of the use of a systematic training for effective parenting program modified for low-income Puerto Rican parents of pre-schoolers. University of Massachusetts. https://www.proquest.com/openview/bea02a763f5a14a3f50b6063e20c0a3a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
This study is ineligible for review because it does not use an eligible publication source (Handbook Version 2.0, Section 4.1.2)Study 15265
Snow, J. N., Kern, R. M., & Penick, J. (1997). The effects of STEP on patient progress in an adolescent day hospital. Individual Psychology, 53(4), 388. https://www.proquest.com/openview/69066e18686150a24877454284b1cdfb/
This study is ineligible for review because it does not report program or service impacts on an eligible outcome (Handbook Version 2.0, Section 4.1.8)