The Effects of Two Different Incentives on Recruitment Rates of Families into a Prevention Program

• Published in: The Journal of primary prevention Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 345 - 365
• Main Author: Heinrichs, Nina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Springer Nature B.V 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Advertising as Topic; Attendance; Behavior Problems; Child; Child Behavior; Child Behavior Disorders - prevention & control; Child Rearing; Community Participation - economics; Corporal punishment; Emotional Problems; Evaluators; Family (Sociological Unit); Family Research; Female; Financial Support; Hierarchical Linear Modeling; Home Visits; Humans; Incentives; Intervention; Low Income Groups; Male; Marital Instability; Modeling (Psychology); Monetary incentives; Motivation; Parent Training; Parenting Skills; Parents; Parents & parenting; Parents - education; Parents - psychology; Participation; Preschool Children; Preschool Education; Prevention programs; Primary Prevention - economics; Primary Prevention - education; Program Development - economics; Program Development - methods; Program Evaluation; Psychopathology; Psychotherapy; Punishment; Recruitment; Research Design; Research Subjects; Resistance (Psychology); Retention; Schools; Social Class; Social Marketing; Socioeconomic factors; Teaching Methods; Vulnerable Populations - psychology; Germany
• ISSN: 0278-095X; 1573-6547
• DOI: 10.1007/s10935-006-0038-8

This study experimentally manipulated two incentives for participation (monetary: paid participation for sessions and setting: group vs. individual) in a child behavior problem prevention program to analyze their effects on recruitment and retention of families. A population of 690 eligible families from 15 preschools located in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods was invited to participate in a parent training (PT) program. The study recruited parents by using advertisements that had information describing only the indicated condition (i.e., PT in group-unpaid, or PT individual-unpaid, or PT in group-paid, or PT individual-paid). Results demonstrate significant impact of payment on recruitment and initial attendance. Training setting alone (individual or group) did not significantly influence these rates. Editors' Strategic Implications: A compelling case is made for the utility of monetary incentives to increase proportions of low-income families in prevention research and programs. Evaluators and program designers should note the impressive use of the experimental design and hierarchical linear modeling to test the effects on recruitment.