A five-year-old hears it is time to leave the park. He drops to the grass, kicks off a shoe and shouts no. Later that night, his parent types a search: child behavior problems and solutions.
Here is the short answer. The solutions with the most research behind them change what adults do, not just what the child does. For many child behavior problems, structured parenting programs help. In fact, across 40 randomized trials, those changes mostly lasted up to three years.
How parents respond when a child cries, yells or sulks also seems to matter, though only a little. So the answer is less about one trick and more about steady patterns at home, repeated over weeks.
What can parents do about child behavior problems?
Go back to the park. The child is told to leave, and he drops to the grass. What happens next shapes what he does the next time. For example, if shouting ends with a few more minutes on the swings, shouting becomes part of leaving the park.
That is why researchers often look at child behavior problems as a loop between child and adult. A request comes, then a refusal, then a reaction. When that loop repeats many times a week, each round makes the next one more likely. Still, a loop is a pattern, and patterns can change.
Parenting programs work on that loop. Programs differ in detail, but many teach parents to give short, clear instructions. Many also coach parents to notice and praise the moments that go smoothly. Then parents practice calm, predictable follow-through, so yelling does not decide the outcome.
A second thread is how adults respond to crying, shouting and sulking. Some parents stay close, name what they see, and talk it through once things settle. In research, this kind of response sits alongside slightly fewer episodes of hitting and rule-breaking, both at the time and later.
What to watch for at home
When you look at child behavior problems at home, the outburst itself is only part of the picture. Watch what comes just before and just after. Over a week, you may see the same few situations again and again, such as leaving the house, bedtime, or turning off the tablet.
It also helps to write down plain actions rather than labels. For example, note ‘threw the cup when asked to turn off the tablet’ instead of a one-word label. Then you can see the pattern, and so can a doctor if you ask one later.
- Note the time of day and what was asked right before your child threw, hit or refused.
- Watch what you do next, such as repeating the request, raising your voice or giving in.
- Notice the moments when your child follows a request, and listen to what you say then.
- See what your child does once the shouting or crying stops, and what you both do next.
- Check whether the same situation, like leaving the park, sets off the same response each time.
What do the studies show?
In van Aar 2017, researchers pooled 40 randomized trials of parenting programs for child behavior problems such as hitting, defiance and tantrums. Each trial checked on families again after the program ended, up to three years later. On average, the drop in this behavior held steady. It did not fade, and it did not keep growing.
Still, results differed from trial to trial. Some programs held up over time more than others, and the authors could not explain why. So a program that helped one family may not help another in the same way. Because these were randomized trials, this is fairly solid evidence that the changes came from the programs.
Johnson 2017 combined 49 studies with 6,270 participants. It added 14 studies with 1,899 participants that followed families over time. When parents responded to feelings and talked about them, children showed slightly fewer hitting and rule-breaking behaviors. The link appeared most clearly at younger ages. However, these studies watched families rather than testing a change, so they cannot show cause.
O’Dwyer 2025 reviewed 21 studies with 1,179 families in Parents Plus, a group program for families facing child behavior problems. In controlled trials, child behavior changed more in program families than in comparison families. Parents in the program also reported less stress. But the authors flag possible bias in the included studies, and the review covers only one program.
What this does not tell you
This research does not tell you what causes child behavior problems in your own home. It also does not tell you which program will suit your family, because results varied between trials. Most of these studies describe averages across groups, not any single child.
The links with how parents talk about feelings were small. So talking through a tough moment is one piece of the picture, not a fix on its own. Also, none of these studies can say how your child will act next year.
If you have questions about it, ask your child’s doctor. That is also the place to start if your child often hurts people or breaks things. A doctor, psychologist or family service can point you to a parenting program near you.
About Mores Health
This answer comes from Mores Health, where we write up what research says about the questions parents ask.
Questions parents also ask
Do parenting programs for child behavior problems last?
In a review of 40 randomized trials, the drop in hitting, defiance and similar behavior mostly held for up to three years. Results did vary between trials, and the authors could not yet explain why.
Does talking about feelings help with tantrums?
Across 49 studies with 6,270 participants, children whose parents responded to and talked about feelings showed slightly fewer hitting and rule-breaking behaviors. These studies show a link, not proof that talking causes the change.
When do I ask a doctor about my child’s behavior?
If you have questions about it, ask your child’s doctor. That includes times when your child often hurts people or breaks things, or when home life feels hard to manage.
Are group parenting classes worth trying?
In a review of 21 studies with 1,179 families, one group program, Parents Plus, was linked with changes in child behavior and less parent stress. The authors note possible bias in those studies, so treat this as a hopeful sign rather than a sure thing.
Sources
- van Aar 2017. Sustained, fade-out or sleeper effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis of parenting interventions for disruptive child behavior.. Clinical psychology review. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2016.11.006
- Johnson 2017. Emotion socialization and child conduct problems: A comprehensive review and meta-analysis.. Clinical psychology review. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2017.04.001
- O’Dwyer 2025. Parents Plus Systemic, Solution-Focused Parent Training Programs: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.. Family process. doi:10.1111/famp.70049
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This article describes research and everyday behaviour; it is not medical advice. If you have questions about your child, ask their doctor.
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Written with AI assistance from the studies listed above, and reviewed by a person before publishing.
