MANAGING SIBLING AGGRESSION - OVERCORRECTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TIME-OUT

The present study compared the efficacy and treatment acceptability of two interventions for sibling aggression: time-out and overcorrection. Thirty mothers and their aggressive sibling dyads participated in one of three group assignments: time-out, overcorrection, and control. Parent training procedures were conducted individually in the clinic. Frequency of sibling aggression, recorded by mothers, served as the dependent variable. The results indicate that both time-out and overcorrection significantly reduced sibling aggression rates as compared to a control group. Treatment effects were maintained one month following participation. Generally, parents rated the acceptability of their respective intervention higher after treatment implementation than before Treatment acceptability ratings for time-out and overcorrection were not significantly different. It was concluded that overcorrection is a socially valid, viable alternative to time-out for managing sibling aggression in oppositional children.