Handbook on Parent Education (PDF)

Handbook on Parent Education presents a contemporary picture of the state of the parent education movement. It tackles a number of critical issues such as the programs that are available or when parent education should begin. Different models of parent education are described, along with parenting programs for youth. The application of parenting programs for specific groups, including foster parents, parents of preschoolers, abusive parents, and parents of handicapped children, is also discussed.

Comprised of 14 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the parent education movement as well as several prototype programs and some ethical issues. The distinction between education and therapy is explained, and parent education with special interest groups is described. In addition, problems of research and evaluation and a projection for the future are presented. Subsequent chapters focus on the state of the nuclear family in American society during the 1970s; Rudolf Dreikurs' impact on childrearing practices and his contribution to individual psychology, together with the social context of child behavior; Haim Ginott's approach to parent education; and the effects of parent effectiveness training on families. Transactional analysis approaches to parent education and parent education as a strategy for the prevention of child abuse are also examined.

This monograph will appeal to educators, parents, sociologists, and educational psychologists.