EVALUATION OF THE PPILC
6.4 SUMMARY OF THE EVALUATION OF THE PPILC
The PPILC was established as a proposed therapeutic model to enhance internal LOC in children. Based on the evaluation of the course by both parents and myself as the facilitator and researcher, and through the analysis of the content drawn through the multiple collection techniques, the findings summarised in Table 6.13 are concerned with the effectiveness of the PPILC as a parent programme. Also included in the summary are reflections regarding implementation for practice.
Need for, design of and appropriateness of programme, achievement of results
(Chapter 4, Chapter 6)
Implementation and practical problems
(Chapter 6) Impact and goals achieved (Addendum B)
Positive Aspects
• Time well invested
• Culturally relevant – for white and black families
• Content interesting and applicable
• Learning was facilitated
• Needs and expectations of participants met
• Group experience positive, challenging and encouraging.
• Parents would recommend course to others.
• Spouses learned from those attending course.
• Time frame respected
• Content well researched and understandable
• Learning experience experiential and interactive
• Positive experience with regards to facilitator
• Well organised and well executed.
• Outcomes achieved from participants’ views
• Knowledge and skills developed
• Attitudes and ideas challenged
• Parents want to make changes
• Parents have knowledge and skills to share with other parents
• Application of certain aspects took place for each participant. Each participant differed in what they focussed on applying.
• Parents grew in o Confidence o Self-efficacy o Self-awareness
o Positive outlook on parenting o Perseverance
o Emotional intelligence o Flexibility
o Personal relationships
o Understanding of parental responsibility
• Parents learnt (vision)
o To encourage child towards internal control o Challenged to implement changes
o Recognise patterns and keep implementing what was learnt
• Parents learnt (long-term goals)
o Parenting is lifelong, and lifelong learning is needed
o Parenting focuses on the future of the child o Discipline is lifelong learning
o Understand and meet social and emotional
o Encourage responsibility o Discipline appropriately o Be consistent
o Adopt an authoritative style
o Create effective relationships with child o Model what children should learn o Create a positive and balanced home
environment
o Develop child’s emotional intelligence
• Children recognised
o Parent behaviour different o Parent allowed choice
o Parent disciple more consistent o Relationship with parent improved –
communication, harmony, friendlier, quality time, cooperation
o Child more obedient
o Child able to manage emotions better
Negative Aspects
• One parent felt needs were only partially met.
• One parent indicated only partial willingness to recommend course to others
• Day and time inconvenient for some
• Length of course too short for some, especially over 4 weeks.
• Group size too small
• Attended by mothers alone, more than fathers or both parents.
• Group dynamic hindered by individuals in first two cycles.
• Follow-up sessions, especially secondary follow-up sessions, were poorly attended.
• Two parents felt ideas and attitudes only somewhat challenged.
• One parent felt partially equipped to share information with others
• Overwhelming at first
• Children confused by changes at first
• Struggle to find balance between extremes
• Struggle to persevere
• Difficult to parent ‘alone’ – other parent not willing to change.
• Difficult to implement in midst of major life and role changes within family.
(Chapter 4, Chapter 6)
Changes for Practice
• Need for learning of this nature to take place earlier in parenting experience.
• Need for parent support groups
• Need for more parents to learn internal control for themselves, and to teach their children
• Make course available at various times and days.
• Consider 8-12 weeks for course
• Group dynamics need to be monitored to ensure a positive experience.
• Group size should be between 8-12 participants.
• Course for other adults who ‘parent’
children, such as teachers.
• Continued personal development as facilitator.
• More clear and effective advertising is needed to convey aims and benefit of course, and to encourage both parents to attend.
• Child-care options assist in allowing parents to attend.
• Although follow-up sessions were valuable, secondary follow-up sessions may not be necessary.
• Focus on area of development more clearly to allow for understanding and implementation for children’s overall mastery and wellbeing.
• Parents tend to focus on parental control over parental care – more focus on this area and related guidelines is necessary.
From the feedback and reflections of the participants and myself, I consider the PPILC to be a programme that meets a standard of quality, value and effectiveness.
This standard is met with regards to equipping parents to make adjustments in behaviour and attitude, to affect the parent-child relationship, in order to enhance the internal locus of control in primary school children. The abovementioned recommendations for implementation in practice need to be taken into account to further enhance the effectiveness of the PPILC. Although the PPILC receives a positive evaluation, the research component of this study which questions the PPILC’s effectiveness, is still unanswered.
6.5 CONCLUSION
This chapter evaluated the PPILC as a proposed therapeutic model for parents to enhance internal locus of control in primary school children. Data was collected through questionnaires, focus groups and observation. The results indicate that the participants that attended the course considered the PPILC valuable. The PPILC also brought about change in parents’ attitudes and behaviours and positively affected the parent-child relationships. In the chapter that follows, the question of the effectiveness of the PPILC to equip parents to enhance internal LOC in children will be answered. From here one can establish whether the PPILC is a valid therapeutic model in this regard.