Exploring Children's Creative Self-Efficacy Affected by After-School Program and Parent-Child Relationships

Effectiveness of the positive discipline program applied to parents of preschool children: A randomized-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Although the Positive Discipline Program is used extensively internationally, there are very few evidence-based studies on it. This study aims to examine the experimental results of the Positive Discipline Program.

METHOD

This randomized-controlled study had the following types of groups: intervention, active control, and non-contact control. The study sample consisted of 72 parents with children aged between 3 and 6 years. The intervention group participated in an eight-session online Positive Discipline Program, the active control group participated in an eight-session online free interaction program, and the non-contact control group received no intervention.

RESULTS

Parents in the intervention group demonstrated an increase in cooperation with their children after the training and during the follow-up period. In the intervention group, parents' oppressive and authoritarian attitudes decreased after the training and during the follow-up period; spouses' democratic attitudes increased after the training and their overprotective attitudes decreased in the follow-up period. Parent-child communication and unhindered listening increased in the intervention and active control groups. The problem-solving skills of the intervention group increased after the training and during the follow-up period, and sensitivity increased in the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

As one of the few experimental studies implementing the Positive Discipline Program, this study revealed the strengths of the program as well as culture-specific aspects that need to be improved. Further, this program was effective in improving parents' relationships with their children, attitudes, and problem-solving skills, and it provided evidence for the program's positive contributions to raising a child.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The Positive Discipline Program can guide parents in solving the developmental and school-related problems of preschool children as well as school and adolescence children.

Parents' Needs and Satisfaction Levels for Parenting Support Schemes Provided by Local Government: Secondary Analysis of Cross-Sectional Survey Data

We conducted a secondary analysis of the data derived from a cross-sectional survey among parents of school-age children in Japan. The present study explored variables associated with parents' satisfaction with the local parenting environment. Multivariable logistic regression was used by entering parental satisfaction as a dependent variable and basic and parenting-related items as independent variables. A total of 2218 respondents were stratified by self-determined financial circumstances. A higher proportion of respondents stated low satisfaction with the local parenting environment and support schemes among the financially struggling group (50.4%) than among the non-struggling group (33.8%). Among the financially struggling group, the variables significantly associated with low satisfaction were a lack of parenting support (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.612) and being unable to use after-school children's clubs (aOR = 1.747). Our exploratory analysis suggests that after-school children's clubs can be expected to play a role in widening social networks and community connectedness among parents struggling financially. This role should be reflected in municipal welfare policy.

The impact of infectious disease prevention behavior on quality of life: A moderated mediation model

Objective

To explore the mechanism of infectious disease prevention behavior on quality of life, and to investigate the mediating role of self-efficacy and the moderating role of family structure.

Methods

A total of 3015 subjects were selected by multistage stratified cluster sampling.

Results

Infectious disease prevention behavior had a significant positive predictive effect on the quality of life (β = 0.08, p < 0.001), The self-efficacy of family members had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between infectious disease prevention behavior and quality of life (β = 0.01, p < 0.001). Compared to nuclear family, conjugal family (β = 0.05, p < 0.001) and single-parent family (β = 0.04, p < 0.01) could regulate the relationship between infectious disease prevention behavior and the quality of life, stem family (β = -1.53, p < 0.05), conjugal family (β = 1.63, p < 0.05), and collective family (β = -1.37, p < 0.05) could regulate the relationship between infectious disease prevention behavior and self-efficacy, conjugal family (β = 0.00, p < 0.001) could regulate the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life.

Conclusion

Infectious disease prevention behavior can affect the quality of life through self-efficacy. Different family structures play a regulatory role in different paths, and a regulatory mediation model is established.