Discipline and communication skills for parents of children age 11-15 (initial study)
Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse
Scientist(s):
Blair Irvine, PhD
,
Natasha Beauchamp, MSc
Teenagers with behavior problems are more likely to be involved in substance abuse, early and unprotected sex, teen pregnancy, juvenile detention, property damage, personal injury, and remedial education. They often become victims of crime, fail in school, suffer peer and parental rejection, and experience unhappy, unproductive lives as adults. The cost of behavioral problems—to the teen, the family, and society—are enormous. Fortunately, consistent parental discipline and support can help prevent asocial teen behavior and the difficult problems that often come with it.
Parenting Skills for Single Moms: Consequences is a multimedia program which teaches parents specific skills to increase the effectiveness of their disciplinary actions. Because this program can be employed by agencies who must verify use and mastery, viewers begin by logging on to the system. In the program—which is presented in a call-in talk show format—a multi-ethnic panel of single mothers speaks candidly about what has and hasn’t worked for them when they are enforcing behavioral rules. Topics include the types of consequences available, choosing which one is right for your child and the situation, how to deliver consequences, and what to do when you meet resistance from your child. Video dramatizations of parent–child interactions model application of the skills being taught and are used to test if viewers can identify correct and incorrect usage of the techniques. Viewers who do not choose accurately are given remediation until they master the materials, at which point they receive a certificate of completion.
This pilot program was tested with 87 single parents of at-risk middle and high school students. (Eighty-three of the participants were mothers and four were fathers; all races were represented.) Participants began by answering a questionnaire concerning their parenting style and their thoughts and feelings about various parenting techniques. Half the parents watched the parenting skills CD-ROM and the other half watched an unrelated CD-ROM about healthy lifestyle habits. After viewing their assigned programs, both sets of parents answered the parenting style questionnaire a second time.
Those who watched the parenting skills CD-ROM showed significant improvements compared with those who did not. In particular, they indicated a decreased likelihood to use harsh disciplinary measures and an increased likelihood to consistently apply promised consequences. In addition, those who watched the program became more aware of common parenting pitfalls (e.g., punishing too harshly or not following through with consequences when a child resists) and were more confident in their ability to avoid these simple parenting mistakes.
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