Effectiveness of Teaching problem-solving Skills on parental Stress and Parenting Style

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching problem-solving skills on reducing parental stresses and parenting style. The study used quasi experimental method with single group، pre-test، post-test design. Statistical population included all the parents of students in non-profit schools in Tehran which 33 parents were selected by available sampling method. Instruments included two questionnaires، level of parental stresses (Shokoohi-Yekta and Parand، 2006) and parenting styles stresses (Shokoohi-Yekta and Parand، 2006). Parents participated in the Raising a Thinking Child Workshop. In this workshop، parents learned problem solving strategies to change their cognitive processes when they encounter challenging behaviors of their children and to respond appropriately to them. Workshop consisted of 10 sessions، each two hours per week. Participants completed the instruments in pretest (start of the training) and post test (end of the training) stages. The results of analysis of multi variance (P<0. 05، η2=0. 55) showed that training significantly improved three parenting styles: Punishment، Suggestion without explanation، and Problem Solving. Therefore it was concluded that teaching problem solving to parents can be applied as a way of improving their parenting style.