Randomized Trial of PMTO in Foster Care: Six-Month Child Well-Being Outcomes

Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of Parent Management Training, Oregon (PMTO) model on child social–emotional well-being. Methods: Using a randomized controlled design and three measures of social–emotional well-being, the study investigated effectiveness of PMTO with families of children in foster care with serious emotional disturbance (SED). Participants included children (3–16 years) and parents who were randomly assigned to PMTO (n = 461) or services as usual (n = 457). Study condition was known to participants and assessors. Six months after baseline, analysis of covariance models examined the intervention’s overall effect and time interactions using intent-to-treat analysis. Follow-up analyses identified salient predictors of well-being. Results: PMTO demonstrated small but significant positive effects on three primary outcomes: social–emotional functioning (Cohen’s d =.31), problem behaviors (Cohen’s d =.09), and prosocial skills (Cohen’s d =.09). Conclusion: Results suggest that PMTO was effective at improving short-term social–emotional well-being in a high-risk population of children with SED.