Evaluation of a Child Maltreatment Prevention Self-help Program: The Role of Social Support and Parental Empowerment in Producing Positive Outcomes

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation study was to evaluate a child abuse prevention program for families considered at-risk for abuse. Specifically, this study sought to gain a better understanding of how program participation was associated with parenting behavior and child maltreatment risk, and if this relation was partially mediated by social support and parental empowerment. The sample consisted of 187 parents and grandparents who attended Circle of Parents groups throughout a southeastern state. It was hypothesized that (a) higher program participation would predict improvements in parenting behavior, lower levels of maltreatment risk, higher levels of social support within and outside the group, and higher feelings of parental empowerment; (b) higher levels of social support within and outside the group, as well as higher levels of parental empowerment, would predict improvements in parenting behavior and lower child maltreatment risk; (c) the relation between program participation and parenting behavior, as well as child maltreatment risk would be mediated by social support and parental empowerment. Results revealed that program participation significantly predicted improvements in parent behavior and social support within the group. In addition, social support within the group significantly predicted improvements in parent behavior. Social support outside the group also significantly predicted levels of lower child maltreatment risk. There was no support for mediation effects. Considerations for interpreting results, limitations, directions for future research, and implications for practice are discussed.