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Assessing the Strengths and Needs of Minority Parents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2016

Robert Strom ,
Dianne Griswold ,
Pat Collinsworth  and
Shirley Strom
Robert Strom*
Affiliation:
Arizona State University
Dianne Griswold
Affiliation:
Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama
Pat Collinsworth
Affiliation:
Office of Parent Development International
Shirley Strom
Affiliation:
Office of Parent Development International
*
Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Professor Robert Strom, Division of Psychology in Education, College of Education, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-0611.
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Abstract

The Parental Strengths and Needs Inventory was administered to 60 Black mothers and their preadolescent children. Most of the mothers, despite a lower than average income, formal schooling and family stability enjoyed being parents, successfully performed the tasks expected of them, and effectively taught essential lessons about life. In the estimate of themselves and their children, these mothers qualify as good parents. Both generations identified similar and differing aspects of maternal behaviour that should be improved. Youngsters contradicted their mothers regarding how well the adults handled certain problems associated with childrearing. Significant differences between the groups were obtained for some of the inventory items, with children commonly assigning lower ratings to the mothers than mothers assigned to themselves. Becoming adequately informed about the growing up experience of individual sons and daughters was identified by both generations as the mothers’ most prominent weakness. The findings offer a generally favourable view of maternal competence in Black families and is being used to develop a suitable curriculum for mothers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Australasian Journal of Special Education , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , 1990 , pp. 10 - 18
Copyright
Copyright © The Australian Association of Special Education 1990

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