Evaluating Parent Gum: a community implemented universal parenting programme

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of targeted parenting programmes but the evidence for universal parenting programmes is much less developed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Parent Gym, a parenting programme delivered in schools. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: In this paper a quasi-experimental design was utilised. Parents were recruited to the Parent Gym programme comprising six 2-hour weekly sessions. Parents completed measures of their parenting efficacy, parenting satisfaction, interest in parenting, and mental well-being at pre- and post-course. Comparative data were derived from a retrospectively defined randomly selected group of nonparticipant parents at two time points, equivalent to the length of the Parent Gym course. FINDINGS: Changes in the Parent Gym group were compared with the comparison group using repeated measures mixed 2x2 ANOVAs, which accounted for the potential effect of demographic characteristics (parent gender, ethnicity, parent age, parent education level, and single parent status), and their potential interaction with group membership. Parenting satisfaction showed a significantly greater increase for the Parent Gym group with a large effect size (d = 0.80). Regarding parenting efficacy, there was a significant time x group interaction indicating efficacy scores increased in the Parent Gym group but decreased in the comparison group (d = 1.93). Mental wellbeing also improved for the Parent Gym group from below the national norm before the course (d = -0.26) to significantly greater than the national norm at post-course (d = 0.29). RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS/LIMITATIONS: Findings from the present study indicate that a universal programme, Parent Gym, was associated with very large improvements in parents’ self-efficacy, large improvements in parenting satisfaction and moderate improvements in mental well-being, when delivered in community settings. It is recommended that future studies include a measure of children’s behaviour and include a follow up of the programme’s effectiveness over time. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The evidence provides support for the continued use of the Parent Gym programme in the community as universal provision for parents