EBFI is an enhanced version of Triple P. It is a group program that incorporates attributional retraining and anger management.
Broadly, EBFI aims to reduce risk factors for child maltreatment. In the program parents are taught to:
See also the following Program Summaries in the Preventing Child Maltreatment Evidence Review:
See also the Self-Directed Triple P Program Summary in the Reducing Child Harm and Maltreatment Evidence Review.
EBFI aims to reach parents:
EBFI has only been evaluated in Australia (Sanders et al. 2004).
A randomized control trial was conducted with 74 people (35 in the intervention group and 39 in the control group). On average, parents were 34 years old, children were 53 months old. Aboriginal and CALD status was not noted in the RCT (Sanders et al. 2004). It is unclear if this program is effective for these groups.
The program has not been evaluated with (1) families receiving intensive ongoing family therapy or psychotherapeutic interventions or (2) families with a child or parent with a significant intellectual impairment.
Overall, the program had a mixed effect on client outcomes.
Mixed research evidence (with no adverse effects):
EBFI is an enhanced version of Triple P. As such, it builds on the standard program by delivering an additional 4 group sessions that address risk factors for child abuse and neglect.
The EBFI program consists of:
Active training methods such as modeling, rehearsal practice, feedback and goal setting were used to teach specific parenting skills throughout the program.
Parents also received a copy of:
The program typically took 12 weeks to complete.
Detailed written protocols specifying the content of each session, in-session exercises to complete, and homework tasks were developed.
The program teaches parents 17 core child management strategies. Ten of the strategies promote children’s competence and development (e.g. praise, engaging activities, incidental teaching). Seven of the strategies help parents manage misbehaviour (e.g. setting rules, quiet time, time out).
In addition, parents are taught a planned activities routine to enhance the generalisation and maintenance of parenting skills. Planned activities training teaches parents how to anticipate and prepare for high-risk situations (e.g. when children are tired or bored), and how to plan age-appropriate activities for these situations.
Parents are taught to apply parenting skills to a broad range of target behaviours in both home and community settings with their children. Parents learn to set and monitor goals for behaviour change and to enhance their skills in observing their child's and their own behaviour.
In the additional sessions parents were:
Not reported.
Sanders et al. (2004) conducted the only research on the effectiveness of the EBFI program, compared with the traditional Triple P program. The outcomes of the research only highlight whether EBFI is more effective than Triple P.
Sanders et al. (2004) conclude that while short-term outcomes are improved using the EBFI version of Triple P, long term outcomes have similar results as the original program. This has been hypothesized to be due to the group socialisation aspect of both versions.
1 RCT conducted in Australia, with a sample of 74 people (Sanders et al. 2004).
For more information about Triple P see: https://www.triplep.net/glo-en/home/
02 Mar 2023
We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the First Nations Peoples of NSW and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and future.
Informed by lessons of the past, Department of Communities and Justice is improving how we work with Aboriginal people and communities. We listen and learn from the knowledge, strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors, Aboriginal Elders and Aboriginal communities.
You can access our apology to the Stolen Generations.