Have
you heard of Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)?
STEP
was initiated in the United States. Since its induction in 1976, STEP has
reached over 4 million parents and has been implemented in more than 1,000
schools, agencies, churches and mental health treatment facilities. Other
countries that have implemented STEP include Australia, Canada, Germany,
Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Romania, and South Korea.
So,
what is STEP?
According
to SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP),
STEP is a programme that “provides training for parents dealing with frequently
encountered challenges with their children that often result from autocratic
parenting styles.”
Based
on Adlerian psychology, STEP aims to promote a more participatory family
structure by:
- Fostering responsibility, independence and
competence in children
- Improving communication between parents and
children
- Helping children learn from the natural and logical consequences of their own choices.
This
programme has been evaluated in about 70 separate research studies and targeted
at families with abusive parent, at risk for parenting problems and child
maltreatment, or with a child receiving mental health treatment.
Here
are some of the lessons parents learn through STEP:
- Understanding child behaviour and misbehaviour
- Applying positive listening
- Giving encouragement instead of praise
- Exploring alternative parenting behaviours
- Expressing ideas and feelings
- Developing responsibilities and confidence in
children
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