Strategy

Active Parenting

What is it?

Active Parenting is a video-based education program that helps parents of children birth-12 years apply a specific parenting theory that includes practices such as mutual respect among family members, nonviolent discipline, problem solving, communication skills training, family enrichment, and encouragement. The program model is designed  to improve child behavior and decrease parent-child issues. Active Parenting strategies focus on building children’s self-esteem, strengthen children’s ability to resist peer pressure, and enhance parent-child relationships through active listening, effective communication, and problem-solving.  Active Parenting is conducted over six weeks through videos that illustrate effective and ineffective parenting skills, experiential activities, group discussion, and home assignments.

What is the evidence base?

Parents that participate in Active Parenting experience significant changes in their perceptions of their child’s behavior, beliefs about parenting, and attitudes toward the physical punishment, responsive parenting, knowledge of child development, parenting efficacy, mindfulness, overall positive child behavior, and a decrease in parenting stress.

• Jesperson et al_2021_ Evaluation of a Parent Education Program Emphasizing Responsive Parenting and Mindfulness: An Inclusive Randomized Controlled Trial
• Foley_et_al_2019_Active Parenting Now and Active Parenting of Teens An Evaluation of Two Neo-Adlerian Parenting Programs