The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 3 March 2026 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Associate Professor Reidar Jakobsene.

About the Seminar:

Nationwide implementation of PMTO in Norway: key elements for success.

This presentation explores key elements for in the 25-year successful implementon of Parent Management Training - Oregon Model (PMTO) across Norway. Following an expert conference in 1997, Norway made a political decision to develop and scale up evidence-based interventions aimed at addressing conduct problems. This led to the establishment of the Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (now NUBU) in 1998, to spearhead the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs such as PMTO. 

•PMTO targets families with children aged 3-12 exhibiting conduct problems, aiming to transform coercive interaction patterns into constructive core parenting practices, such as positive involvement, encouragement, and effective limit-setting. By 2025, PMTO has reached 168 of 357 municipalities in Norway, highlighting a successful transition from clinical research to a sustainable and impactful public health intervention.

Norway's success in implementing PMTO is attributed to several key elements: a stable national implementation structure and a commitment to rigorous research and evaluation. A cornerstone of quality assurance is the Fidelity of Implementation Rating System (FIMP), used to prevent model drift across generations of therapists and maintain high intervention standards. Research, including multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs), demonstrates PMTO's efficacy across diverse populations, such as ethnic minorities and foster parents.

Dr. Jakobsen's contribution to the implementation of PMTO in Norway includes training and mentoring new generations of PMTO therapists, conducting research to support its effectiveness, and supervising PhD candidates in related areas of study.

Speakers

Dr. Jakobsen is a clinical psychologist educated at the University of Bergen, Norway, holding a PhD in psychology since 1998. Currently an associated professor at Department of Clinical and Biological Psychology, University of Bergen. Dr. Jakobsen specializes in clinical child and adolescent psychology, with research focusing on mental health promotion, child welfare, and interventions for behavioral challenges in children. With career spanning academia, clinical practice, and research leadership, his work bridges evidence-based practices and community-focused mental health services..

  3 March 2025
  12:45 - 14:00 SAST
   CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa