Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 June 2009
The study set out to evaluate an individual parent training programme implemented by nursery staff. The experimental group was made up of eight mothers and their pre-school children. A matched group of nine mothers underwent group parent training, and a control group (N = 11) were given simple reading material on child development and took part in a discussion group. Pre- and post-test measures on maternal self-esteem (SES), parental attitude towards children (PAS), and knowledge of behavioural principles (KBP) were completed by mothers in all groups. A pre-school behaviour checklist (PSBC) was administered by staff on all children at the nursery whose mothers took part in the project. Results indicated a significant improvement pre- to post-test: (1) in PAS and KBP for the mothers who had undergone individual parent training; and (2) in PAS, SES and children's scores on the PSBC for those who took part in the group training. Whether or not mothers were living on their own was found to be a confounding variable on two of the measures. The implications of improved maternal self-esteem in the group, but not the individual setting, and an increase in knowledge in the individual, but not the group setting, are also discussed.
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