No abstract

This study assessed changes in parental attitudes and children's self‐concept and behavior following parents' participation in one of two skills training programs: behavioral skills and communication skills. At posttest, communication skills group parents demonstrated greater mutual understanding in the area of parent‐child communication than did comparison group parents. These results were maintained at 3‐month follow‐up. Children of parents who participated in either training group showed positive changes in self‐concept at posttest that were maintained at follow‐up. The parentrated behavior of both groups of children did not improve at posttest. However, at follow‐up, communication skills parents perceived their children as less withdrawn/hostile and perceived themselves as playing a greater role in the causation of their children's behavior.