Preliminary evaluation of the Group Teen Triple P program for parents of teenagers making the transition to high school

Abstract

Group Teen Triple P is a brief group parenting program for parents of teenagers. It is based on the successful Triple P – Positive Parenting Program for parents of children aged from 0 to 12, with a focus on helping parents manage the transition from late childhood to early adolescence. This paper describes the initial evaluation of a universal trial of the program offered to all parents of students entering their first year of high school at age 12 in a regional north Queensland school. Twenty-seven parents completed a battery of self-report questionnaires immediately before and after participating in the 8-week program. Participating parents reported significant reductions in conflict with their teenager, and on measures of laxness, over-reactivity, and disagreements with their partner over parenting issues. These are well-established parenting risk factors. In addition, parents reported significant improvements on measures of self-regulation, including self-efficacy, selfsufficiency, and self-management, and reductions on measures of depression, anxiety, and stress. It was concluded that a preliminary evaluation of the Group Teen Triple P program achieved its goals of reducing targeted risk factors associated with the development of behavioural and emotional problems in teenagers. The paper concludes with an examination of issues around parent recruitment and engagement which are crucial for the successful provision of effective and timely advice and support for parents of teenagers.