Background: The effectiveness of parent training (PT) when delivered as part of specialist tier-two services for preschool AD/HD children has been recently demonstrated.
Aims: To assess the effectiveness of the same PT programme when delivered as part of routine primary care by non-specialist nurses.
Method: A sample of 89 3-year-old children with preschool AD/HD took part in a controlled trial of an eight-week (one hour a week), health visitor delivered, PT package. Children, allocated randomly to PT (n = 59) and waiting list control (WLC; n = 30) groups, were compared.
Results: PT did not reduce AD/HD symptoms. Maternal well-being decreased in both PT and WLC groups.
Conclusions: While PT is an effective intervention for preschool AD/HD when delivered in specialized settings, these benefits do not appear to generalize when programme are delivered as part of routine primary care by non-specialist nurses.