Effectiveness of Self-instructional Module (SIM) on Knowledge of Parenting Skills for Parents of Adolescents Living in a Selected Community in Mangalore

Everyday there is a rise in the percentage of adolescents who commit suicide, dropout from school, consume drugs, involve in assaults, rapes and robbery. Adolescents require longer periods of assistance from parents to face the “storm and stress” in their transition phase. Learning to rear moral children in today's immoral world and learning to be good and effective parents are challenging. In order to nurture the special relationship between the parents and adolescents and fulfil the roles as parents, there are a number of things that can be done. Parents have a major share in socialising their adolescents, helping them to achieve a sense of reality and identity in meeting their needs by using effective parenting skills. If parents fail in these areas, it is reasonable to expect that their adolescent will be damaged socially and psychologically.

To determine the effectiveness of self-instructional module on knowledge of parenting skills developed for parents of adolescents.

An evaluative approach with quasi-experimental one group pretest-posttest design was used in the study. Sixty parents of adolescents from 60 families were drawn from the population as sample by using network sampling technique. Pre-test was conducted by using demographic proforma and structured closed ended knowledge questionnaire and a self-instructional module on “parenting skills for adolescence” was distributed for the parents. The post-test was conducted on the seventh day using the same tool. Data collected from the sample was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.

The mean post-test knowledge score of parents (24.18) was apparently higher than mean pre-test knowledge score (15.30) which showed the effectiveness of self instructional module. The significance of difference between the pre-test and post-test knowledge scores of parents was statistically tested using paired ‘t’ test and was found to be highly significant (t₍₅₉₎ =34.99, p < 0.05). The pre-test knowledge of parents compared with demographic variables showed an association between pre-test knowledge of parents and religion.

The present study revealed that the parents had less knowledge regarding “parenting skills for adolescence” and the overall findings of the study indicated that there was an increase in the knowledge of parents on parenting skills following the distribution of self-instructional module. Therefore it was concluded that the self-instructional module was highly effective in improving the knowledge of parents.