Practitioners' capacity-building for parent empowerment: A pilot non-randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Social Work
• Program Evaluation
• Professional Development

Background:

• Parent empowerment programs benefit families, yet research on practitioner training is limited.
• Effective practitioner capacity-building is crucial for successful program implementation.
• This study addresses the gap in understanding the outcomes of training for professionals delivering parent empowerment services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of a capacity-building program for practitioners involved in parent empowerment.
• To assess the impact of the program on practitioners' attitudes and self-perceived competence.
• To explore the mediating role of attitudes in the relationship between the program and competence.

Main Methods:

• A non-randomized controlled trial involving 56 social service practitioners in Hong Kong.
• An experimental group (n=28) participated in a 15-session capacity-building program; a control group (n=28) did not.
• Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was used to compare groups at post-test and follow-up.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significantly higher favorable attitudes toward parent empowerment post-program (large effect size).
• No immediate difference in self-perceived competence was observed post-program.
• At follow-up, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher self-perceived competence (large effect size).
• Favorable attitudes at post-test and follow-up serially mediated the program's effect on follow-up self-perceived competence.

Conclusions:

• Capacity-building programs can effectively enhance practitioners' attitudes towards parent empowerment.
• While immediate competence gains may not be evident, long-term effects include improved self-perceived competence.
• The findings offer insights into equipping practitioners with necessary skills and attitudes for parent empowerment initiatives.