A mother instruction program: behavior changes with and without therapeutic intervention.

Mother-child behavior changes over therapeutic intervention and no-contact periods were compared. Fifteen dyads had 8 weeks of instruction followed by no contact; 15 followed a reversed schedule. Overall change was about the same in both groups, and both changed more during instruction than during no-contact periods. Mothers receiving immediate instruction showed greater and more systematic immediate changes following instruction. Children in the group with later follow-up exhibited a greater proportion of behavior change during that no-contact period than during instruction. Thus, no-contact periods cannot be considered no-change periods, though immediate intervention probably ensures more systematic change than intervention preceded by waiting-list experience.