Author/Authors :
Abarashi، Zohreh نويسنده Center of Psychological Counseling Services, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran , , Tahmassian، Karineh نويسنده Family Research Institute , , Mazaheri، Mohammad Ali نويسنده Department of Psychology , , Panaghi، Leili نويسنده , , Mansoori، Nader نويسنده Shahid Beheshti University, Family Research Institute, Tehran, Iran. ,
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
