This program is delivered to parents of children who are birth to 16 years old and is intended to impact children and families.

Triple P System is a community-based, public-health approach that is designed to provide parents with strategies for child management in order to help them improve their parenting skills.

A population-based randomized trial found positive effects on outcomes related to child maltreatment 2 years after the beginning of program implementation. In Triple P counties, rates of out-of-home child placements and rates of hospital and emergency room visits for child maltreatment injuries decreased, while, in control counties, they increased. In the Triple P counties, rates of substantiated child maltreatment cases increased less than in control counties. A quasi-experimental study found small reductions in rates of investigated reports of child maltreatment and rates of children in foster care. In this study, there were no reductions in rates of emergency department visits related to child maltreatment. A second quasi-experimental study found improvements in parent-reported child social, emotional, and behavior problems in intervention regions relative to comparison regions. However, one study that used a pre-post design failed to find any significant changes in teacher-rated social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties in preschool children over a 6-year period before and during implementation of the Triple P System.

The ultimate goal of the Triple P System is to help parents prevent child and youth behavioral and emotional problems and encourage them to develop more positive parent-child relationships. The Triple P System is comprised of five levels of services.

• Level 1 includes media and informational strategies that focus on de-stigmatizing parenting support and facilitating help-seeking. This is done through radio, newspapers, newsletters, mass mailings, presence at community events, and websites.
• Level 2 is comprised of parenting seminars or brief one-on-one consultations. The seminars introduce parents to parenting approaches and the Triple P System and provide an opportunity for individuals to receive advice and information. The consultations are designed to help with discrete problem behaviors and also include advice and information.
• Level 3 is a series of four brief consultations designed to help parents with specific problematic child behaviors or issues. Dissemination of advice and information is combined with skills training.
• Level 4 is for parents of children who have more critical issues, such as aggressive or oppositional behavior. Two types of sessions are offered: 10 individual family sessions or five group sessions that include three follow-up telephone sessions. Both sessions incorporate active skills training and support.
• Level 5 is for parents who have additional risk factors (e.g., partner conflict, mental health issues). This level may include skills training in coping, communication, partner support, or temper control or child management practice sessions.

Triple P was created in Australia in 1977 and is currently being implemented in 25 countries around the world.

Training is required, and an extensive range of practitioners implement this program, including social workers, psychologists, doctors, nurses, school counselors, teachers, and clergy. On-site or off-site training options are available. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.

Considerations for implementing this program include understanding that this version of the program includes implementing all five levels of the program, which would require buy-in from the community, stakeholders, and participants; finding time for facilitator training and program implementation; acquiring space to hold sessions; and understanding training and implementation will need to be funded.

The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

If you are interested in implementing the Triple P System, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Implementation time for levels 1 and 5 varies. Levels 2 and 3 consultations last 20 minutes. Level 4 individual family sessions last 90 minutes, and the group sessions last 2 hours each. Individual and family participation vary based on interest and need.

Information on implementation costs was not located. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.

To move the Triple P System to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence at least one external evaluation must be conducted that demonstrates sustained, positive outcomes. This study must be conducted independently of the program developer.

The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu

Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu

You may also contact Triple P America Inc., by mail 1201 Lincoln St., Suite 201, Columbia, SC, 29201, phone 1-803-451-2278, email contact.us@triplep.net, or visit https://www.triplep.net/glo-en/contact/

https://www.triplep.net; and Prinz, Sanders, Shapiro, Whitaker, and Lutzker (2009).