Parental Self-Efficacy As a Determining Factor in Healthy Mother-Child Interaction: A Pilot Study in Iran

authors:

avatar Zohreh Abarashi 1 , * , avatar Karineh Tahmassian 2 , avatar Mohammad Ali Mazaheri 2 , avatar Leili Panaghi 2 , avatar Nader Mansoori 2

Center of Psychological Counseling Services, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran. Address: Center of Psychological Counseling Services, Ferdowsi University, Falekeh Park Sq, Mashhad, Iran
Family Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences: Vol.8, issue 1; 19-25
published online: March 30, 2014
article type: Original Article
received: September 24, 2011
revised: February 19, 2013
accepted: April 27, 2013

how to cite: Abarashi Z, Tahmassian K, Mazaheri M A, Panaghi L, Mansoori N. Parental Self-Efficacy As a Determining Factor in Healthy Mother-Child Interaction: A Pilot Study in Iran. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci. 2014;8(1): 19-25. 

Abstract

Objective: Parental self-efficacy is associated with increasing mental health in children. There is a paucity of research in Iran on the role of parental self-efficacy in increasing mental health status of children. In this preliminary study, we studied the effectiveness of the World Health Organization international child development program (2002) for children aged 3 years and younger in increasing positive interaction between child and mother as an important component of mental health.
Methods: Forty mothers from a central hospital child-caring center in Mashhad participated in the study and were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group received the World Health Organization international child development program for 6 consecutive weeks while the control group remained without manipulation. The Parenting Self-Agency Measure (PSAM) was administered at pre-test, post-test and at 1-month follow-up.
Results: The study findings indicated that parental efficacy in the experimental group increased after 6 consecutive weeks of training and remained unchanged after 1 month of follow-up while the control group showed no difference regarding scores obtained at three stages of the study.
Conclusion: International programs such as the World Health Organization international child development program can increase positive child-mother interaction as an important factor which contributes to mental health in early years of life but further studies with larger samples in longer terms and with more follow-up periods in Iran are suggested.
Declaration of interest: None.
Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.irct.ir. Unique identifier: IRCT2012073010445N1.
Citation: Abarashi Z, Tahmassian K, Mazaheri MA, Panaghi L, Mansoori N. Parental self-efficacy as a determining factor in healthy mother-child interaction: a pilot study in Iran. Iran J Psychiatry Behav Sci 2014; 8(1): 19-25.

Fulltext

Full text is available in the PDF.

References

  • 1.

    References are available in the PDF.