Investigating parental preferences regarding the development and implementation of a parent-directed drug-related educational intervention: an exploratory study.

Full Abstract

Strengthening parents' capacity to reduce children's risk of alcohol, tobacco and other drug-related harm is recognised as an important public health strategy in Australia, but engaging parents' involvement in these training programs is known to be challenging. This study utilised a self-complete questionnaire and structured small group discussions with parents in order to identify their needs in terms of communicating with their children about drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. It also investigated their preferences regarding the nature of a parent drug education intervention as well as strategies to recruit and actively engage them in parent-directed interventions. Parents identified numerous barriers to their participation in such programs and reported any intervention targeting them should be able to be completed in their home, be non-judgemental, easy to read, time-efficient, easy to use, fun, colourful and interactive. Parents recommended practical communication skills (such as how to talk with children, how to raise the topic and what topics to talk about) be addressed in the intervention. They also recommended a range and combination of strategies to promote and maintain parent involvement, such as providing small rewards for the children of parents who participate. Despite some limitations, the findings of this study contribute important practical knowledge regarding how to recruit, engage and retain higher percentages of parents in parent training programs.

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Author information

Author/s: Beatty, Shelley E (SE); Cross, Donna S (DS);

Affiliation: School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Science, Faculty of Computing Health and Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Drug and alcohol review (Drug Alcohol Rev), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 25 (issue 4) : pp 333-42

Dates: Created 2006/07/20; Completed 2006/12/19;

PMID: 16854659, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Choice Behavior
Demography
Female
Health Education - methods
Humans

Male
Parent-Child Relations
Parenting
Parents
Public Health
Questionnaires
Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control

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