Effect of Positive Discipline Programme on Knowledge and Attitude amongst Parents of Preschool Children (3–5 Years)

Abstract

Abstract Background: Positive discipline is a type of non-physical disciplinary method for disciplining children. The present study aimed to assess the effect of positive discipline programme (PDP) on knowledge and attitude amongst parents of preschool children (3–5 years) in a selected school in Thrissur. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the level of knowledge and attitude of parents of preschool children regarding positive discipline, compare the effect of PDP on the level of knowledge and attitude of parents and associate the pre-test level of knowledge and attitude of parents with selected socio-demographic data. Methods: A pre-experimental, one-group pre-test, post-test design was used. Data were collected from 30 samples by non-probability purposive sampling method using a self-structured knowledge questionnaire and attitude scale followed by PDP. Post-test was conducted after 10 days. Results: In the present study, most of the samples 16 (53.3%) were in the age group of 24–33 years, and most of them 20 (66.7%) were female, with 15 (50%) samples having preschool children in the age group of 5 years. In pre-test, 18 (60%) had inadequate knowledge and 18 (60%) had unfavourable attitude, while in post-test, 17 (56.7%) had adequate knowledge and 13 (43.3%) each had favourable and moderately favourable attitude. The overall mean post-test knowledge score (21.267 ± 4.386) was significantly higher than the mean pre-test knowledge score (13.400 ± 4.399) with a calculated paired ‘t’ value (t29 = 18.730, P < 0.01). The pre-test means attitude score level for parents of preschool children regarding positive discipline was 47.100 ± 14.5180, and it had increased to (75.300 ± 14.7420) in post-test, with a calculated paired ‘t’ value (t29 = 23.481, P < 0.01). There is a significant association (P < 0.05) between pre-test level of knowledge of parents regarding positive discipline and age of parent, education of mother, education of father and child age with χ 2 = 13.375, 30.000, 11.949, 6.986 and 11.931 and P = 0.037, 0.001, 0.018, 0.030 and 0.007, respectively. There was a highly significant association (P < 0.05) between pre-test level of attitude and type of family and child age with χ 2 = 6.914 and 13.990 and P = 0.009 and 0.001, respectively. Conclusion: PDP was an effective programme for increasing knowledge and attitude amongst parents regarding positive discipline.