Parental training in groups: a brief health promotion program.

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Family Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Parenting programs are crucial for child development and family well-being.
• Health promotion initiatives can effectively deliver parenting support.
• Understanding parent-child interaction quality is key to addressing behavioral issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a concise parenting program within a health promotion framework.
• To assess the immediate impact of this program on parenting practices.
• To evaluate changes in the quality of parent-child interactions.

Main Methods:

• A brief parenting program was implemented with parents of school-aged children.
• Pre- and post-tests utilized validated instruments like the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Quality of Family Interaction Scales (EQIFs).
• Analysis included parents attending at least 75% of the program (n=25).

Main Results:

• Participants (socioeconomic levels B and C) reported improvements in affective relationships, communication, and monitoring.
• A significant reduction in physical punishment and negative marital atmosphere was observed (p < 0.03).
• Children's aggressive behavior and externalizing problems decreased (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively).

Conclusions:

• The brief, affordable intervention positively impacted parenting practices and parent-child relationships.
• Improvements included enhanced monitoring, stronger affective bonds, and reduced punitive measures.
• The program contributed to decreased child aggression and better overall family dynamics.