Symposia
Improved Use of Research Evidence
Lu Dong, Ph.D.
Associate Behavioral and Social Scientist
RAND Corporation
Santa Monica, California
Allison G. Harvey, Ph.D.
Professor
University of California, Berkeley
BERKELEY, California
Objective: The current study examined the preliminary effects of the Parent Behavior Change Intervention (PBC-I), derived from advances in the science of behavior change. The PBC-I is comprised of conversational elements (e.g., behavior change techniques [BCTs], positive communication strategies) hypothesized to reduce parent-adolescent conflict and facilitate upward spirals of healthy behavior change in adolescents.
Methods: Participants were 36 parent-adolescent dyads who participated in an open trial of the PBC-I. Adolescents received six 50-min sessions of the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention to improve sleep, while their parents received six 50-min sessions of the PBC-I. Parent-adolescent dyads were assessed at pre- and post-intervention for parental use of BCTs and communication strategies, parent-adolescent conflict, adolescent motivation, and sleep outcomes.
Results: Parents used fewer distinct types of BCTs (b = -0.94, p = 0.04), more positive (b = 0.47, p = 0.04) and less negative communication strategies (b = -0.96, p = 0.01) during a sleep related Hot Topic Task at post relative to pre. From pre to post, parents reported decreased coercion (b = -0.20, p = 0.01) and less intensity of issues parent-adolescent dyad argued about (b = -0.42, p < .001); adolescents reported fewer parental conflict behaviors (b = -1.20, p = 0.01) and less quantity (b = -2.73, p = 0.02) and intensity (b = -0.34, p = 0.01) of issues they discussed with parents. For adolescents' intrinsic motivation, there was a pre-to-post increase in interest/enjoyment (b = 0.33, p = 0.03) but a decrease in effort/importance (b = -0.44, p = 0.01) to make sleep behavior change. Greater use of total BCTs (b = 0.32, p = 0.01) and distinct BCTs (b = 0.46, p = 0.02) were associated with more parent-rated quantity of issues. More negative communication strategies (b = 0.47, p = 0.004) were associated with greater parent-rated intensity of issues. Greater positive communication strategies were associated with better adolescent global sleep quality ratings (b = 0.28, p = 0.04), while more negative communication strategies were associated with worse adolescent sleep outcomes, including greater eveningness (b = -0.36, p = 0.03) and later sleep onset time (b = -0.10, p = 0.004).
Discussion: The results provide an initial test of the hypothesis that improving the parent-adolescent interpersonal process may improve adolescent sleep health behavior change. While sleep is the focus of this study, the research may be relevant to a broad range of health behaviors and disorders.