Parenting programmes and self-efficacy: An investigation into the effectiveness of a programme in terms of change for parents and their children

Abstract

The importance of family relationships and the quality of parenting to the psychological, social, physical and economic well-being of children has been well documented. The government has also emphasised the importance of supporting parents and has provided Local Authorities with additional funding. This has resulted in schools having increased responsibility with regard to providing support for parents. Further research into the effectiveness of parenting programmes that schools can provide is therefore required. The principal research question addressed by the current study, was to establish whether a positive parenting programme, delivered at school, could facilitate long-term change for parents and their children. This research also aimed to establish whether levels of parental self-efficacy (PSE) were altered by the programme and the mechanisms that could have facilitated this change. Participants (N=18) agreed to participate in a semi-structured interview. Results highlighted three main themes (Identified changes in parenting and/or children’s behaviour, implementing strategies from the programme and the parenting programme process). The research concludes that the parenting programme directly altered parenting behaviours and that PSE levels increased, leading to an indirect change in parenting behaviour. Mechanisms within the parenting programme that increase PSE reflected those that raised self-efficacy as hypothesised by Bandura (1989).