A consumer satisfaction measure for parent-child treatments and its relation to measures of child behavior change

The Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAIL a brief consumer satisfaction measure of parent training, parent-child treatments, and family therapy, was psychometrically evaluated. Participants were 62 mothers of clinic-referred children who met diagnostic criteria for a disruptive behavior disorder and participated in parent-child interaction therapy. Cronbach's alpha for the TAI was excellent (.91) and the stability coefficient across a 4-month period was also high (.85). External validity was demonstrated by moderate correlations (.36 to.49) between TAI scores (total and factor) and changes during treatment measured by pre- to posttreatment difference scores on the Eyberg Child Be-havior Inventory and on behavioral observations of compliance. Satisfaction with pro-cess was related to changes in parent behavior ratings, and satisfaction with outcome was related to changes in observed compliance. Correlations between TAI scores and behavior problem severity after treatment were not significant. Results suggest that parent satisfaction ratings on the TAI are more closely linked to symptom changes dur-ing treatment than to the absolute level of child behavior problems after treatment, and they support the psychometric strength of the TAI