In this book we will describe how Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) based parenting interventions have historically addressed the emotional disturbances of parents (Joyce, 1995) that interfere with effective parenting, and the recent advances in clinical cognitive sciences that are relevant to this topic (Gavita, Joyce, & David, 2011). A substantial emphasis will include the evidence-based status of the REBT protocols of parenting programs for children with externalizing disorders (Gavita et al., 2012). Cognitive-behavioral parenting interventions are the treatment of choice for addressing externalizing disorders of childhood (see NICE, 2008; 2013), and their effectiveness is well documented now (Thomas & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2007; Webster-Stratton, 2002). It was proposed (see Lovejoy, Graczyk, O'Hare, & Neuman, 2000) that parenting programs for child behavior problems could be enhanced by using an integrated focus on the emotion-regulation strategies used by parents. This would maximize their short and long-term effects. The research and contents of the curricula of the Rational Positive Parenting Program (Gavita, DiGiuseppe, & David, 2013) will be presented in detail, based on its standard format (Gavita, 2011), short format (Gavita et al., 2012), and self-help format (Gavita & Calin, 2013), which have been investigated in clinical trials. The Rational Positive Parenting program will be described underlying its evidence-based approach and direct practice in addressing externalizing disorders in children.

Oana Alexandra Gavita (David), Ph.D., is currently Senior Assistant Professor within the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babes-Bolyai University (BBU) Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She received her Ph.D. from BBU with the thesis Evidence-based parenting programs for reducing child disruptive behavior, based on which she investigated the emotion-regulation processes of parents and has developed the Rational Positive Parenting program for approaching child externalizing disorders. Dr. Gavita has received training from the Albert Ellis Institute, NY, where she is a fellow, and is the president of the International Association for Cognitive Behavioral Coaching. Raymond DiGiuseppe, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology, at St. John's University and he has served as Director of Professional Education of the Albert Ellis Institute, since 1980. He received the Jack Krasner Early Career Contribution award from American Psychological Association's Division of Psychotherapy (29) where he currently serves as President; and he was elected fellow of the American Psychological Association's divisions of Psychotherapy, Clinical, School, and Family Psychology. Dr. DiGiuseppe is world-wide expert in Rational-Emotive Therapy and he has worked with the famous psychologist Albert Ellis until his death in 2007. He has trained hundreds of therapists in REBT and CBT throughout the world. He is Co-editor of the Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive Behavior Therapies, and his present scholarship focuses on clinical aspects of anger, child externalizing disorders and parenting interventions, and RE&CBT, on which he lectures widely.