The High Road to Quality Parenting Education:

Diverse Paths to the Same GoalDiverse Paths to the Same Goal

Stephen J. Bavolek, Ph.D.Stephen J. Bavolek, Ph.D.Rhenda Hodnett, MSWRhenda Hodnett, MSW

Part 1:Part 1:

Impact of My Personal Impact of My Personal Parenting Beliefs and Parenting Beliefs and Attitudes on My Professional Attitudes on My Professional Role as a Parent EducatorRole as a Parent Educator

The parenting beliefs that we The parenting beliefs that we currently hold today were currently hold today were

influenced by the influenced by the experiences we had growing experiences we had growing

up as children.up as children.

Impact of My Personal Impact of My Personal Parenting Beliefs and Attitudes Parenting Beliefs and Attitudes

on My Professional Role as a Parent Educatoron My Professional Role as a Parent Educator

What we experienced as a What we experienced as a boy or girl, and replicated to boy or girl, and replicated to some degree as a Father or some degree as a Father or

Mother influences our role as Mother influences our role as professional parent professional parent

educators.educators.

Impact of My Personal Impact of My Personal Parenting Beliefs and Attitudes Parenting Beliefs and Attitudes

on My Professional Role as a Parent Educatoron My Professional Role as a Parent Educator

Biological systems predispose human Biological systems predispose human beings to form and sustain enduring, beings to form and sustain enduring,

nurturing relationships.nurturing relationships.

The intensity and frequency of The intensity and frequency of positive and negative experiences positive and negative experiences

promote the development of an promote the development of an adapted or acquired self.adapted or acquired self.

Positive Adapted Self Negative Adapted SelfPositive Adapted Self Negative Adapted Self

… … Perceptions.Perceptions.All the information we receive about All the information we receive about ourselves and the world through our ourselves and the world through our

senses.senses.

… … CognitionCognitionAll the abstract conceptual processes that All the abstract conceptual processes that

our brain uses to organize and make sense our brain uses to organize and make sense of our perceptions which include of our perceptions which include

memories and unconscious thoughts.memories and unconscious thoughts.

… … Emotions.Emotions.Emotions help us establish the intensity Emotions help us establish the intensity

and value of every perceptual and and value of every perceptual and cognitive experience we have.cognitive experience we have.

… … Social Consensus.Social Consensus.The input we receive from others.The input we receive from others.

… … a conscious or unconscious a conscious or unconscious expression of a vast system of cause expression of a vast system of cause and effect relationships between our and effect relationships between our

true naturetrue nature and the and the adapted adapted beliefsbeliefs of the Self. of the Self.

Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory www.nscsonline.com

Knowledge of Proven Knowledge of Proven Parenting Strategies and Parenting Strategies and PracticesPractices

Part 2:Part 2:

Parent Educators need to be Parent Educators need to be knowledgeable of areas of knowledgeable of areas of

parenting and child rearing parenting and child rearing that have been proven to that have been proven to

promote healthy child and promote healthy child and family development.family development.

Understanding and honoring Understanding and honoring parents’ strong beliefs parents’ strong beliefs

regarding the use of physical regarding the use of physical punishment as a means of punishment as a means of discipline and punishment.discipline and punishment.

Increasing parents’ awareness and Increasing parents’ awareness and understanding about the detrimental understanding about the detrimental

effects physical punishment, verbal effects physical punishment, verbal abuse, inappropriate touch and neglect abuse, inappropriate touch and neglect

have on the neurological, emotional, have on the neurological, emotional, social and physical development of social and physical development of

children.children.

Teaching parents the value of Teaching parents the value of using alternative skills and using alternative skills and

strategies to physical punishment.strategies to physical punishment.

Increasing parents’ awareness and Increasing parents’ awareness and understanding of the stages of understanding of the stages of child growth and development child growth and development

which include neurological, which include neurological, physical, social/emotional, and physical, social/emotional, and

intellectual stages along with … intellectual stages along with …

… … Kohlberg’s morals stages of Kohlberg’s morals stages of development, Erikson’s psycho-development, Erikson’s psycho-

social stages of development, social stages of development, Freud’s psycho-sexual stages and Freud’s psycho-sexual stages and

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Understanding and personally Understanding and personally utilizing discipline techniques utilizing discipline techniques

that promote the dignity of the that promote the dignity of the child.child.

Understanding brain Understanding brain development and functioning development and functioning during prenatal, birth to five, during prenatal, birth to five,

school-age and adolescent school-age and adolescent periods of childhood.periods of childhood.

The importance and The importance and functioning of parent-child functioning of parent-child

bonding, attachment, bonding, attachment, attunement, and empathy.attunement, and empathy.

The importance of teaching The importance of teaching children empowerment and children empowerment and

protective skills.protective skills.

Part 3: Part 3: Parenting Programs and Parenting Programs and

Practices: Assessment and Practices: Assessment and EvaluationEvaluation

Parenting Programs & Parenting Programs & Practices: Assessment and Practices: Assessment and EvaluationEvaluation

Part 3:Part 3:

AssessmentAssessment is the process of gathering is the process of gathering data data

to guide decision making (type of to guide decision making (type of intervention, length, intensity, etc.)intervention, length, intensity, etc.)

Focus interventionFocus intervention Analyze changeAnalyze change

Evaluation Evaluation is a process of measuring the is a process of measuring the relative worth of a service or program.relative worth of a service or program.

Ethical practiceEthical practice FundingFunding

Two categories of Two categories of Evidence Based Evidence Based programs:programs:

Experimental or Randomized Control Experimental or Randomized Control Trials (RCT)Trials (RCT)Quasi-experimentalQuasi-experimental

Quasi-experimentalQuasi-experimental includes: includes:Simple pre-posttest design.Simple pre-posttest design.Pre-posttest : Longitudinal follow-up.Pre-posttest : Longitudinal follow-up.Comparative Group Design: Group 1 Comparative Group Design: Group 1

gets Program A and Group 2 gets gets Program A and Group 2 gets Program B.Program B.

SAMHSA: SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Substance Abuse and Mental Mental Health Services AdministrationHealth Services Administration

NREPP: NREPP: National Registry of Effective National Registry of Effective Parenting Practices and ProgramParenting Practices and Program

CEBC:CEBC: California Evidence-based California Evidence-based Clearinghouse for Child WelfareClearinghouse for Child Welfare

NREPP does:◦ Helps you begin to determine if an intervention

might meet the needs of your target population◦ Rate the quality of the research supporting

outcomes and rates quality of training and implementation materials

NREPP doesn’t:◦ Rate an intervention’s effectiveness◦ Provide an exhaustive list of interventions◦ Endorse specific interventions

CEBC Categories◦ 1. Well supported by research evidence

2 RCT, peer reviewed, valid/reliable measures, etc.◦ 2. Supported by research evidence

1 RCT, peer reviewed, ◦ 3. Promising research evidence

Manual, 1 study with control group, peer reviewed, etc.

◦ 4. Lacks adequate research evidence◦ 5. Evidence fails to demonstrate effect◦ 6. Concerning practice

Two categories of Assessment:Two categories of Assessment:Formal and InformalFormal and Informal

Formal Formal assessment tools have proven assessment tools have proven validity and reliability.validity and reliability.

ValidityValidity — does the assessment do — does the assessment do what it says it’s suppose to do?what it says it’s suppose to do?

ReliabilityReliability —does it do it —does it do it consistently?consistently?

Informal assessment tools are not Informal assessment tools are not concerned as much with validity and concerned as much with validity and reliability. reliability. These are instructor/agency made These are instructor/agency made assessments: true/false; multiple assessments: true/false; multiple choice; fill in the blanks, check-lists, choice; fill in the blanks, check-lists, rating scales, observational forms.rating scales, observational forms.

The principle purpose to assess and The principle purpose to assess and evaluate is to measure the change in evaluate is to measure the change in behavior.behavior.Behavior is made up of:Behavior is made up of:PerformancePerformanceBeliefsBeliefsKnowledgeKnowledge

Environmental Conditions:Environmental Conditions:

Impact of personal historyImpact of personal historyNeurological networks that have Neurological networks that have become normalizedbecome normalized

Different inventories are Different inventories are designed to measure different designed to measure different

aspects of behavior. aspects of behavior. What factors are related to What factors are related to

your intervention?your intervention?

Parent-Child AttachmentParent-Child AttachmentParenting attitudes and beliefsParenting attitudes and beliefsKnowledge of child developmentKnowledge of child developmentBehavior management skillsBehavior management skillsParental stressParental stressMaternal depressionMaternal depression

Sample of instruments used as Sample of instruments used as outcome measures in parent outcome measures in parent education:education:*Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory*Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory*Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory*Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory*Parenting Stress Index*Parenting Stress Index*Family Environment Scale*Family Environment Scale

Part 3: Part 3: Parenting Programs and Parenting Programs and

Practices: Assessment and Practices: Assessment and EvaluationEvaluation

My Professional Skills as a My Professional Skills as a Parent EducatorParent Educator

Part 4:Part 4:

Every learning situation can be Every learning situation can be classified into two categories:classified into two categories:

Instruction Instruction Centered (IC), andCentered (IC), and

Learner Learner Centered (LC) Centered (LC)

IC: IC: The instructor and the The instructor and the instruction is more important instruction is more important than the learner.than the learner.

LC: The learner is more important LC: The learner is more important that the instructor and the that the instructor and the instruction.instruction.

IC: IC: Imparting factual information Imparting factual information takes priority to parent takes priority to parent learning.learning.

LC:LC: The focus on instruction is The focus on instruction is always on the parent.always on the parent.

IC: IC: Completing the session agenda Completing the session agenda takes priority to engaging and takes priority to engaging and challenging the learner.challenging the learner.

LC:LC: Engaging and challenging the Engaging and challenging the learner is more important than learner is more important than completing the session agenda.completing the session agenda.

IC: The instructor is active and the IC: The instructor is active and the learner is passive.learner is passive.

LC: The instructor and learner LC: The instructor and learner alternate being active-passive.alternate being active-passive.

Model integrity DOES matter Tailoring a program to meet the needs of

the parent requires advanced knowledge & skill on the part of the parent educator

Aspire to have a level of competence that allows you to customize a program without jeopardizing the “proven effective components” that are key to successful outcomes

The following are generally recognized as The following are generally recognized as the skills of a good parent educator:the skills of a good parent educator:• Keeps the focus on participant learning Keeps the focus on participant learning (parents or child)(parents or child)• Engages parents through small group Engages parents through small group discussions/debates/role plays/creative discussions/debates/role plays/creative expressions.expressions.

• Investigates the parent’s viewpoint Investigates the parent’s viewpoint through through increasing self-awareness.increasing self-awareness.

• Makes concepts and principles simple.Makes concepts and principles simple.

• Gives concrete examples to illustrate Gives concrete examples to illustrate abstract points.abstract points.

• Adapts while teaching (flexibility).Adapts while teaching (flexibility).

• Reflects after having taught on ways to Reflects after having taught on ways to improve.improve.

• Is organized.Is organized.• Has a command of the content.Has a command of the content.• Is detail oriented.Is detail oriented.• Uses dignified discipline techniques Uses dignified discipline techniques

(Acting Inn board, Praise, builds self (Acting Inn board, Praise, builds self esteem, etc).esteem, etc).

• Uses visual aids (DVD’s, pictures, Uses visual aids (DVD’s, pictures, illustrations).illustrations).

• Is a good time manager.Is a good time manager.

• Sets high but reasonable expectations for Sets high but reasonable expectations for participants.participants.

• Administers fair assessments.Administers fair assessments.

• Uses the results of assessments as Uses the results of assessments as reflective of quality of instruction.reflective of quality of instruction.

• Creates an atmosphere where parents Creates an atmosphere where parents are motivated intrinsically (from within) are motivated intrinsically (from within) rather than extrinsically (from outside).rather than extrinsically (from outside).

• Practices what s/he preaches.Practices what s/he preaches.

Empowers the group or individual through Empowers the group or individual through cognitive processes such as: cognitive processes such as: • Brainstorming.Brainstorming.• Problem solving and decision making.Problem solving and decision making.• Suggestion circles.Suggestion circles.• 10 things you would recommend.10 things you would recommend.• Negotiating and compromising.Negotiating and compromising.

The following are generally recognized as The following are generally recognized as characteristics of a good teacher:characteristics of a good teacher:

• Demonstrates respectDemonstrates respect• Has a sense of humorHas a sense of humor• Uses “common sense”Uses “common sense”

• Shows interest and enthusiasmShows interest and enthusiasm

• Demonstrates a sense of caring and Demonstrates a sense of caring and empathyempathy

• Makes learning fun and excitingMakes learning fun and exciting

• Is available to helpIs available to help

• Enjoys teaching parents or childrenEnjoys teaching parents or children

• Is an excellent communicatorIs an excellent communicator

• Invests in the success of the parentInvests in the success of the parent