Antonia Guinard

7/29/2019 Antonia Guinard

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Title: Training family competences at school to improve educative outcomes.

Authors: M.Antnia Gomila ([email protected])

Beln Pascual ([email protected])

Marga Vives ([email protected])

Rosario Pozo ([email protected])

Miquela Ginard ([email protected])

Members of the Research Group on Educational and Social Training of the faculty of

Education of the University of Balearic Islands.

Contact address:[email protected].

Postal address: Ed.Guillem Cifre. Universitat de les Illes Balears. Ctra. de Valldemossa,

k, 7,5 Palma de Mallorca. Illes Balears

Tf. +34971172483, +34971179927

Abstract

Evidence based programmes centred on training family competences have largely

shown their efficiency in the prevention of behaviour problems among children and

adolescents. The Strengthening Families Programme (Kumpfer & Demarsh 1985;Kumpfer et al. 1989) is one of the most successful programmes in the improvement of

the parenting competence, the social skills, the behaviour of children, and the family

relationships. The Spanish adaptation of this programme is the Family Competence

Programme (Orte et al. 2008). The results of its implementation show important

benefits in the elements that help to improve the academic outcomes of the children, as

well as efficient in the prevention of disruptive behaviours affecting the school social

environment. The participation to the programme leads towards a higher involvement of

these families in the school and, therefore, towards an improvement of the relations

among the involved agents. The paper aims to present the project of implementation ofthe PCF at primary schools, in coordination with the Confederation of parents

associations of the Balearic Islands. The project intends to attract families to the school

and to get more involved in school activities as a way to create a solid network

involving the school, the families and the community.

Key words: Family competences, parenting skills, socio-educative programmes
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Introduction

Experts have largely proved that the participation of the parents at the school of

their children and their involvement in their education process is a basic element to

prevent not only from scholar failure but also from misbehaviour and behavioural

problems (Epstein et al. 2002; Deslandes, 2010). One of the key strategies to motivate

the implication and participation of the family is the provision of support to the parents

to enhance their parental capacities. This support extends also to enhance parents

capacities to provide help with academic tasks and stimulation to learning. The

implication of the professionals is also high, as they have the responsibility to develop

the actions and projects that motivate the families to participate and to get involved.

Nevertheless, although a fundamental part of the socialization process of the

children, parents do not receive specific training to do so. Risk factors and stress

situations complicate the involvement of the parents in the education of their children if

they do not receive some kind of support (whether external or from social network).

Some of these risk factors come from the operation of the school system but also well

from the socioeconomic and cultural background of the family. In some cases, there are

affected by internal factors relating to home environment, parenting patterns and

relationships among the family members. Families presenting high levels of stress,

anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, disruption and/or aggressiveness have little

engagement in the scholar development of their children and very low involvement in

the school activities (Supplee et al. 2004; Martinez et al. 2010). In such cases, it is

necessary to reinforce the family to reduce and minimize the risk factors and

strengthening the protection factors to ensure success in the management of family life

and interpersonal relations (Orte, 2008: 27).

The increasing demand to promote family cohesion through positive parental

patterns has led to the development of socio-educative programmes with the family.

Among the strategies developed to engage the family and provide support to parents in

childrens education and wellbeing, there are socio-educative interventions. Although

they are more recent than other approaches (such as family therapy orParents school),

they already provide a quite considerable amount of theoretical and methodological

references that allow making a positive evidence of its efficiency.


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The core idea of this type of intervention is that improving family relations and

parenting skills, children will enhance educative outcomes. The main intervention

criteria are the socio-ecological approach. The family is considered a global unit and the

intervention includes parents training, childrens skills training and family practice

time together (Kumpfer & Johnson, 2007). The multicomponent factor has strong

impact on the reduction of risk factors and reinforcement of protective ones, while

motivating parents to develop positive parenting models and enhancing the family

cohesion (Orte et al. 2012). Many of these programmes have been focus on families at

high risk linked with substance abuse and child abuse but there has also been some

attempt to extend the programmes to universal prevention through school interventions.

Their evaluation has shown very positive outcomes in strengthening family bonds and

preventing children and adolescents from substance abuse and disruptive behaviour

(Kumpfer & Johnson, 2007).

Among these programmes, the Strenghtening Family Programme (Kumpfer &

DeMarsh 1985; Kumpfer et al. 1989) has been stressed by the Cochrane Review as one

of the most successful programmes. This programme is an evidence-based family skills

training program that involves the whole family, aiming at the improvement of the

parenting competence, the social skills, the behaviour of children, and the family

relationships. Its first implementations started at the end of the 80s in US and it

expanded to 17 countries. The Spanish adaptation of this programme is the Family

Competence Programme (PCF) and it has been successfully implemented in several

parts of Spain (Orte et al. 2008) since 2006. The PCF is a multi-component program of

proven efficiency in preventing drug use and other behavioural problems in children.

However, despite it has also school based interventions in connection with other social

institutions in order to detect those families who show higher risk factors, the PCF has

never been associated or involved with school structure.

The results of the interventions already carried out in different parts of Spain

show important benefits in the elements that help childrens academic outcomes as well

as efficient in the prevention of disruptive behaviours affecting the school social

environment (Orte et al, 2008, 2012). The programme seeks the implication of the

families in their educative responsibilities, especially in those presenting disruptive

relations and dysfunctional organization.


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The programme seeks the implication of the families in their educative

responsibilities, especially in those presenting disruptive relations and dysfunctional

organization. The participation to the programme leads towards a higher involvement of

these families in the school and, therefore, towards an improvement of the relations

among the involved agents. Actually, the development of strategies and initiatives to

stimulate a higher participation of the parents at schools is an old demand of the

parents associations and schools, especially for those families at risk that show weaker

involvement in the education of their children.

The paper aims to present the project of implementation of the PCF at primary

schools, in coordination with the Confederation of parents associations of the Balearic

Islands. Although still at its preliminary phase, the implementation of the PCF at school

intends to attract families to the school and to get more involved in school activities as a

way to create a solid network involving the school, the families and the community

(practitioners and social services, as well as other community institutions) that leads to

the improvement of the social cohesion.

The projects adaptation is still ongoing and it has not been implemented yet. The

paper presents only the context in which the programme has to be implemented and the

expected results in family cohesion and social inclusion. This context cannot be

understood without taking into consideration the socio-political framework defined by a

strong financial reduction of the public services. The withdrawal of many educative and

formative projects, as well as the professionals and resources involved, predict severe

consequences for the families and the children wellbeing if it is not compensated with

other initiatives (March, 2012).

Connecting family competences, scholar outcomes and children behaviour: a View

of the Spanish context.

Education policy in Spain from the late decades of the 20th century has swing

between universal principles and those claiming freedom to choose the type of

education of their children (Calero 2006). Inclusiveness and free cost of education have

been the key elements of the universality of education, whereas the second-chance

programmes, grants and credits for those having problems at school were at the side of

those claiming freedom to choose. Compulsory education was not an inclusiveeducation as it leaded to a hard way towards a selective degree. The aims of the law


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where still linked with knowledge transmission and passive attitudes and not critical

judgement and creativity (Feito 2005).

Indicators of the Spanish education system show, among other problems, lack of

public coverage at early childhood, high level of dropout and low level at post-

compulsory education, integration problems with students belonging to minorities,

increasing inequality among public and private schools, low financial support to

students and families, lack of distributive efficiency and high inequality among regions

regarding public investment in education (Pascual, 2012; Calero, 2006).

The increase of foreign population at scholar ages during 1996 to 2006 has deeply

affected the management of the public education system. Scholars increase 88,10% in

those years. Concentration of foreign population1 in public schools makes adaptation

and integration of this population more complicate, leading to a dualistic education and

social system. Within the frame of a labour market very much centred on the tertiary

sector (tourism, construction, and services) vulnerable situations and social scarcity

easily link to early school dropout.

The current context defined by financial and labour crisis has increased the risk

factors enlarging the social and educative vulnerability of a higher part of the society.

Consequences towards coexistence and behaviour at schools seem clear. Administration

develops, from the 90s, educative diversity scholar programmes to provide support to

the students and to cope with education inequalities and social integration of students.

Attention to diversity at compulsory school is oriented to provide support to the

educative needs of the students and to achieve basic competences. Some of these

mechanisms are (National School Council, 20082; Orte et al. 2009): flexible groups,

support to the group, split groups, programmes of curricula diversification, elective

subjects, coordination between primary and secondary education, PROA (programme of

support and orientation), scholar accompaniment, ALTER (programme for truancy and

dropout prevention), coexistence programmes, individual curricula adaptations,

intercultural programmes, etc.

Along with these mechanisms, collaboration between institutions and

administrations having responsibilities on family and childrens welfare and social

institutions working with vulnerable population are also a key piece of intervention. The

knowledge of the cultural and educative system and the access to participation in this

180%

2Informe Anual sobre Educacin


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education system are important elements to reach the full integration of children and

youngsters into the school (Orte et al. 2009). In this sense, integral social protection

policies assigned to the most vulnerable groups might help to improve the efficiency of

the education (National School Council, 2008, 2010).

The competence evaluations carried out in Spain place the Balearic Islands in the

worst positions (the best position has been n 12 (from 17) in mathematics and language

at the secondary school (PISA 2009; IAQSE, 2012). Other indicators measured by the

IAQSE3 do not provide a more optimistic view: dropout: 36,7% (8,3 points under the

national average), school attendance rate: 81.4% (12,3 points under national average),

but only 48,2% at non-compulsory education (11,3 points under national average),

scholar success: 61,0% (14,1 points under national average).

Indicators relating economic and social conditions of the school also show low

outcomes: ratio per class: 24,54 ; foreign students: 18,9% (which is one of the highest

rates in Spain); annual public investment per student (6.051, over the national average

(5692), being the public investment in relation to the GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

only 3,4%5 (the second lowest in Spain).

Regarding coexistence and conflict, the Institute of Coexistence and scholar

success of the regional Government of the Balearic Islands undertook a deep study in

2011 to know the valuation of the whole scholar community at secondary level.

Although the study was methodologically similar to those carried out at a national level

(Diez-Aguado, 2010), the study of the Balearic Islands, the first attempt to include the

opinion of the families. The conclusions of the study stated that the general relation

environment was valued as good and that the main problems regarding coexistence

were (according to teachers and other professionals) lack of discipline and lack of

implication of the families in the education of their children. All the professionals

agreed that there was a lack of supervision of the children in their homes, although these

factors were linked to the quick changes of the family and its difficulties to adapt to

them. On the other hand, Families perceptions coincide with that of professionals in the

fact that the lack of family response in conflict cases, the lack of discipline at home and

the low involvement of the families in the school are the main difficulties to cope with

coexistence problems at schools. Nevertheless, families also point out that the lack of

3Year 2010-2011

4

Recent norms in 2012 have allowed the increase of the ratios, up to 36 students x class at secondaryschool.5

2009


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resources and support mechanisms (support programmes, professionals, financial

resources) is also a crucial factor in the coexistence environment of the schools.

However, as Casal shows (2008) investment in the school has little impact in the

scholar success of the children. Instead, it is more important the way the society is

structured: work, family life-styles, parental styles. All these factors structure the

coexistence between parents and children, and the affective and relational ground

allowing academic success.

Family involvement in childrens education is then a key factor of protection and

stimulates them to overcome the boundaries settled by their socio-economic origin

(Prez Daz, 2001; Bolivar, 2006). Research has largely shown how academic outcomes

are linked with social and cultural capital of the families (Coleman et al., 1966;

Bourdieu y Passeron, 1970; Bernstein, 1988; Bonal et al, 2004; Mar-Klose, 2009), as

they are the expectations and involvement of the parents towards their children. The

time parents spend with their children in leisure activities, schoolwork or expressing

encouragement is a crucial element of the social capital that is transferred across

generations, that it can even overcome the economic disadvantage of the family

(Coleman, 1988 in Morrone et al. 2011). At the same time, this capital, attitudes,

parenting style and expectations of the families link with the ties they create with the

school of their children (Collet y Tort, 2011, Casal, 2008). Also the attitude and

relationship the children have at school (with pairs, with teachers) is very much

influenced by the relation with the parents. Family variables such as limits,

conversation and confidence in the relationship are highly influential in the

academic outcomes of the children (Casal, 2008:71).

As the European Council states, the promotion of specific programmes is a key

element in the intervention process. The levels of the intervention may be formal (make

access to schools easy for the families) or informal (creation and consolidation of social,

family and community links) (EC, 2006). In this sense, the EC includes the community

approach pointing to the need to a) Promote the community participation, involving

different resources and community services to strengthen the scholar programmes,

family practices and the learning and development of the childhood, b) Promote the

relationships between family and professionals, driving formation proposals for

professionals and parents to reach a better comprehension of the situation.


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These initiatives would lead to the creation of common projects responding the

wellbeing of the children and the mutual knowledge families-school. The knowledge of

the families, their needs, their expectations and their situation would be a tool for

professionals to provide them a more accurate support. Regarding to this idea, the

improvement of parental competences, family organisation and family cohesion would

become an efficient strategy to ameliorate the social cohesion.

The study developed by Sanders and Epstein (1998) and Epstein (2001) show

evidence on the benefits of the family-school-community relationship for all of the

involved agents. Implication process of the family towards parental practices6 and its

responsibility towards the learning of their children7 are directly related to the outcomes

in the learning of the children8, such as social competences, cognitive development,

communication skills, literacy, development of vocabulary, expressive language,

comprehension skills, positive linkage with pairs, adults and the learning process. Apart

from specific actions, the improvement of the education require initiatives for the whole

population conducting to positive parenting, participation and awareness of the

responsibility and mutual obligations both of parents and children.

In the specific case of the Balearic Islands, the above mentioned study on the

coexistence at school (2011) includes relevant information about the degree ofinvolvement of the families both in their childrens education and in the schoo l. The

quality of the relation between families and schools is measured also through their own

valuation, and the results show a high degree of satisfaction in the relation with the

teacher of their children above any other agent in the school. They state a high level of

response to the calls of the teachers and principals (mainly for meetings), but this does

not correspond with the feeling of being part of the school community, with collective

participation (through associations) or even with their satisfaction with the teachers

(2011:212). Regarding the educative role of the families and their implication in the

education of their children, the report states that families and student share optimistic

expectations on their academic outcomes, beyond their results. The study also states that

the majority of the families spend less than two hours a week to provide support to their

6Typology of relationship parents-children, participation in child-centred activities, participation and

communication parents-school7Reading at home, conversations, leisure activities, etc.

8Education research project of Harvard, 2006


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children with homework, although there is a significant correlation between the parents

degree and the hours devoted to this task.

Little more than the half (54,6%) of the parents claim they spend time together

with their children in leisure at least once a week, whereas 14,3% do not spend any time

with them. Regarding the parents perception of the integration level of their children at

school, 92,4% consider that their children are very well integrated, 91,45% think that

they have good relations with their teachers, 84% consider their children are motivated

by the school activities and 80,8% thinks the school helps their children to be self-

confident and to take decisions on its own. This positive evaluation coincides with the

opinions stated by the children and it is coherent with the 90% of parents claiming their

children have no problems at school.

Despite the positive evaluation families do of their relationship and involvement

in the education of the children, the lack of implication remains the main hurdle for a

positive coexistence environment at school. Families themselves justify the lack of

involvement on the multiple factors in which they have to develop the educative

function and on the difficulties to adapt to these circumstances (personal, economic,

working, cultural, social, educative). All these factors transform the structure and

operation of the family and therefore, modify the socialization process and the educative

patterns (Martinez Gonzalez, 2009). The claim of the families for support takes very

different ways according to their own circumstances. Family interventions require

initiatives to offer them educative strategies that match with their particular needs.

Evidence-based programmes training family competences and its cultural

adaptations

Socio-educative interventions with the family have developed interesting

approaches in the last decades. The methodologies implemented, initially influenced by

cognitive-behavioural and systemic approaches, allowed significant progress to be make

in work models based on empirical evidence (Orte et al. 2012). The family competence

approach has been developed in this context, through multi-components programmes,

based on evidences9, considering the family as a whole. This kind of programmes

9A programme is considered to be based on evidence, when it is evaluated through randomise control

tests (RCT) or quasi-experimental design (QED), and shows its efficiency that its implementation

produce positive results on the target population. They are reliably through time under different contextsand different groups, they lead to innovative programmes and they reflect a strong theoretical corpus

provided by research ( CSAP, 2002, Social Research Unit, 2012)


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combine a curriculum on social skills and life skills for the children with a parental

training curriculum for the parents, and a curriculum focused on the family as a whole

entity. The family sessions integrate the skills and behaviour patterns trained in the

childrens and parents sessions resulting in higher levels of retention than other

individually oriented programmes. Socio-educational interventions in the family

competence approach, attempt to build resources so that the family can better cope with

problematic situations and come through them strengthened. By stimulating the familys

ability to overcome their difficulties in the short term their ability to cope with

challenges in the future increases (Orte et al 2012).

Effective education depends on the culture, the community context and the proper

operation of the family. Therefore, family interventions to reduce risk and increase

protection to the children must be flexible to adapt to the environment and cultural

differences of the target families (Dishion y Kavanagh, 2003). The adaptation process

shall be done from the planning to the implementation and evaluation of the

intervention programme (Weissberg et al., 2003). To guarantee the effectiveness of the

programme, modifications have to be done at a cognitive (language, age of

participants), affective (gender, ethnicity, religion, social status) and environmental

level (Fonseca, 2008).

One of the concerns of the programme adaptations among their creators has been

the need to maintain the core components of the programme and to control the

implementation processes (Orte et al. 2008, 2012). The general structure of the

programme: sessions, timetables, contents, etc. have to remain coherent in order to

avoid the reduction of its effectiveness but it also has to adapt to the needs and

community features (Gonzlez, Barrera y Martnez, 2004: 43).

The Strengthening Family Programme takes special care in harmonizing fidelity

and efficiency in its cultural adaptations. Taking into account these considerations, the

SFP has been adapted to different ethnic, communities in the USA as well as to 17 other

countries, including European countries (Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Russia,

Norway and Sweden). Despite the majority of the implementations of the programme

have been focused on selective prevention with families at high risk, there is a 10

session version for 10-16 year for universal prevention. This universal prevention

population version could be an adjunct to the regular SFP 10-16 curriculum or used


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totally alone by families in their home (using DVD). Randomised control trials10

reported positive outcomes in the application of universal prevention programmes

(Kumpfer et al, 2002; Spoth et al., 2006; Gottfredson et al. 2006). Along with this, a

meta-analysis developed by the Cochrane Collaboration and the OMS reported also that

short version of the SFP for universal prevention at schools were twice efficient than

other prevention programmes (Foxcroft et al., 2003).

In Europe only Sweden has implemented the universal Iowa 10-14 years

programme in public schools (Skrstrand et al., 2008). Nevertheless, the Swedish

version experienced a strong change in its format in the accommodation process of the

programme. The resulting adaptation did not take into consideration some of the core

elements of the programme structure and the results reflect the lack of adjustment of the

adaptation to the original programme. Changes has been reported as non-relevant both

regarding to substance use among the adolescents and on the risk and protective factors

(Burkhart 2012).

The Spanish adaptation of the SFP: The Programme of Family Competences

The Programme of Family Competences is also a multi-component program,

aiming to reduce family risk factors in sons and daughters and strengthen protective

factors. Its overall objective is to increase the resistance capacity of their children to

high risk of drug use and antisocial behaviour. More specifically, the program

aims to increase the skills of fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, and improve

family relationships. It is: a) Improve family relationships; b) Increase parenting skills;

c) Improving children's behaviour; d) Increase the social competence of children and e)

Reduce or prevent the use of drugs and alcohol and disruptive and antisocial behaviour

These general objectives are specific according to the recipients (table 1). All the

specific objectives are coordinate with the objectives of the other recipients. For

example, the aim for the session 9 are to improve the familiar communication; so the

contents for parents are solving problems and living instructions; as same time,

children work about the solving topics and, after these two parallel sessions, all the

families join together in the content solving problems and giving instructions.

10NIDA, NIMH, SAMHSHA


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Table 1: Specific objectives of the program

Parents children

Expand parental knowledge to exercise the

parenting role

Enhance self-esteem

Increase parental effectiveness, positive

attention and efficient discipline

Reduce physical punishment

Reduce parental stress

Palliate parental depression

Increase obedience

Reduce aggressiveness and hyperactivity

Reduce shyness and depression

Increase communication skills

Boost skills for resisting peerpressure

Strengthen skills for recognising feeling

Improve skills forcoping with anger and criticism

Reduce the likelihood ofproblem behaviour

Family

Improve family communication, cohesion and attachment

Enhance family planning and organization

Reduce family conflict

Increase the time the family spends together andparents empathy towards their children

a) Exclusion and inclusions criteriaOne of the principal characteristic of this program is the existence of several

criteria for inclusion of exclusion in the program. In this way, the parental criteria

inclusion are: a) Families with social services files, b) Preferential parental age between20 and 45 years old; c) With children in their care between 7 and 13 years old; d)

Reasonable levels of attention and cooperation; e) Capable of participating in 1-2 hour

group sessions, once a week for 14 weeks. Parental exclusion criteria are: a) Severe

drug dependence that seriously alters capacity for judgment; b) Existence of unstable

mental symptomatology; c) Evidence of mental retardation d) Severe attention deficit.

The criteria for the childrens inclusion are: Parents who participate in the

experience for parents and ages 8-13. Childrens exclusion criteria are similar to the

exclusion parental criteria.

b) MethodologyThe programme structures on 14 sessions of 2.5 hours each and one booster

session for children; same session structure for parents and families. In each session,

first at all there is a general welcoming; after that, parents and children work in parallel

during an hour approximately. In each group there are two trainers. Usually the session

starts with a review of the last session homework and of the skills worked in it. Then,


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trainers show the next contents according to the format of each session. Finally, there is

a review of the homework. Children who follow all the rules of the group could receive

incentives for good behaviour.

c) Principal skillsThe program aims to achieve learning objectives and behaviour change in parents,

their children and the family as a whole. Accordingly, family members, working in

different groups for 14 weeks, learn different types of skills that are listed in summary

form:

1. For fathers and mothers: the acquisition of basic parenting skills: Stressmanagement skills, skills in reward management, differential attention and setting

limits, communication skills and problem solving and knowledge of alcohol and drugs.

2. For sons and daughters: communication skills, ability to recognize feelings,skills to resist peer pressure, conflict resolution skills and knowledge concerning

alcohol and drugs.

3. For the family as a whole: ability to achieve and/or increase family cohesion,family communication skills, family organization skills, family relationship skills and

conflict resolution skills.The methodology makes to work the same objective with the three work groups

(parents, children and families).

Table 2: Skills for each sessions

Parental competence

program

Social skills program for children Program to improve family

relationships

Introduction and group

formation

Greeting and rules Introduction and group formation

Expectations, development and

stress management

Social skills I: active listening

skills

Game of sons and daughters

Rewards Social skills II: conversation skills Game of sons and daughters:

rewards

Goals and objectives Learning good behavior Goals and objectives

Differential attention: paying

attention and ignoring

How to say "NO" to stay out of

trouble

Differential attention: tables and

roulette

Communication I: relationship

improvement

Communication I: better

relationships

Communication I: Introduction to

the family game

Communication II: family Communication II: family meetings Communication II: Consolidation


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meetings of the family game

Drugs and family: risk factors Alcohol and drugs Learning from fathers and mothers

Solving problems and giving

instructions

Solving problems Solving problems and giving

instructions

0

Setting limits I: redirecting

misbehavior

Introduction to the game of fathers

and mothers

The game of fathers and mothers I

1

Setting limits II: practice Confrontation skills I: recognizing

feelings

The game of fathers and mothers II

2

Setting limits III:

solving behavioral problems

Confrontation skills II: facing

criticism

The game of fathers and mothers

III

3

Building and using behavioral

programs

Confrontation skills III: facing

anger

Remembering what helps us and

why it helps us

4

Achieving and maintaining

good behavior

Graduation, resources and review End of program and graduation

party

Source:www.competencia.familiar.com

d) MaterialThe Family Competence Program is implemented on the basis of three types of

materials: Handbooks, Guides for participants (one of which adapted to non-literate

people) and audio-visual material. Training staff are provided with a set of handbooks

for developing sessions with parents, with children and family sessions. There is a

handbook for coordinators (the Implementation Handbook) containing all the

information about the Family Competence Program as well as relevant issues to develop

the sessions.

Apart from trainers, each of the participants in the program is provided with a

handbook. Worksheet are individual (personal), so it is not recommended that they are

shared by both members of the couple, (in parents sessions) or by siblings (in

childrens sessions). The Sheets are also easy to identify by colours. The reference MU

indicates users handbook. The material contains DVD including image for modelling

the techniques and skills in the program. Finally, learning materials are adapted for the

participants in the program with reading and writing difficulties.

e) Evaluation instruments:We devised and verified the effectiveness and fit of a series of instruments:

1. Tests for parents: Programme evaluation battery (SFP: Kumpfer); includes aseries of questions on time spent together and obedience. BASC (Reynolds andKamphaus 2004). Program satisfaction and knowledge acquisition tests (SFP:
http://www.competencia.familiar.com/http://www.competencia.familiar.com/http://www.competencia.familiar.com/http://www.competencia.familiar.com/


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Kumpfer 2003) ESFA (Barraca and Lpez-Yarta 2003).

2. Tests for teachers: BASC (Reynolds and Kamphaus 2004).3. Tests for children: Evaluation battery (SFP-K: Kumpfer); includes a series of

questions on time spent together and obedience. BASC (Reynolds and Kamphaus

2004).

f) ResultsThe PCF has been implemented 29 times from 2009 to 2011 in different parts of

Spain, embracing 217 families forming the experimental group and a control group

made up of 14 families. The families were contacted through local Social Services and a

group of them were parents at the last stages of drug addiction treatment. The multi-

group analysis with pre-test and post-test measurements and a non-matched control

group, have reported significant changes in the behaviours of the children and a general

improvement in family competence (understood as family communication and parent-

child relationships), family organisation and cohesion (Orte et al.2012). Later results

reported in Orte, Ballester and March 11 show relevant changes in childrens behaviour

and social skills. A significant reduction in aggressiveness is observed as well as fewer

behavioural problems. The analysis verified a decrease in shyness and withdrawal as

well as fewer symptoms associated with depression. Childrens self-esteem also rose

and the capacity for concentration also improved appreciably. Problems of control in

school fell significantly and almost disappeared in the sample studied. Such a clear

result is surprising, although part of the work accomplished in the childrens group was

aimed at self-control, improving conflict resolution, setting clear limits and

consolidating and assertive relationship style.

The childrens social skills also improved leading to progress in communication

skills, skills for reducing peer pressure, the ability to recognize feelings and skills for

coping with anger and criticism. These changes were measured by the BASC answered

by teachers, as well as parents and childrens own responses. In general terms,

acceptance of school improved visibly. Changes in the childrens knowledge, which

11Orte, C. Ballester, L, March, M. Evaluating change in families. The results of the Spanish adaptation of

the Strengthening Family Program (SFP).Family Relations (forthcoming)


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improved overall, was, according to the researchers, the most striking result in this

factor, e.g. the capacity to make new friends, solve problems, talk to adults, say what

they want to or understand the feelings of other.

Conclusions and results expected

Good family relationships do not just happen. They require adequate formation,

time, effort, planning and compromise. The Family Competences Programme aims to

contribute to the active participation, involvement and implication of the whole family

in their educative responsibilities, especially in those disruptive relations and

dysfunctional organization, in the school and, therefore, towards an improvement of the

relations among the involved agents.

An essential element to guarantee the success of this program is to promote the

community participation, involving different resources and services to strengthen the

scholar programmes, family practices. The relationships between family and

professionals are a key point to reach a better comprehension of their situation. These

initiatives would help to mutual knowledge between families-school and to build strong

family ties. The knowledge of the families, their needs, their expectations and their

situation would be a tool for professionals to provide them a more adequate support.

Regarding to this idea, the improvement of parental competences, family organisation

and family cohesion would become an efficient strategy to improve the social cohesion.

The main result expected is to encourage and involve community, school and

family. Participation improves also their relationship helping them to get a better

understanding of their situation and access to different resources and community

services for school and family programs.

Through enriching workshops, activities and resources, parents can learn how to

build positive communication in their relationships within the family and the school,

share tips and get advice on family and parenting issues.

The implementation of the PCF at primary school in coordination with the

Confederation of parents associations of the Balearic Islands, intends to attract families

to the school and to get more involved in school activities as a way to create a solid

network involving the school, the families and the community (practitioners and social

services, as well as other community institutions).


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The first and specific result expected is to improve skills on communication,

social competence and increase healthy family relationships, family cohesion and

attachment. Also, enhance family planning and organization, increase the time that

family spends together, parents empathy towards their children. Also reduce family

conflict, or prevent the use of drugs and alcohol and disruptive and antisocial behaviour.

The second and specific result expected is to improve effective parenting skills

and positive changes; such as capacity of involvement and ability to tackle problems,

use of reasonable consequences and clear instructions, positive parental supervision

(control of school activities and relationships) and strengthen protective factors. Also,

expand parental knowledge to exercise the parenting role, enhance self-esteem, increase

parental effectiveness, increase positive attention, reduce physical punishment, parental

stress, palliate parental depression and increase efficient discipline.

The third and specific result expected is to promote positive changes in childrens

behaviour and social skills: increase the resistance capacity of their children to high risk

of drug use and antisocial behaviour. In general ways an improvement in adaptive skills,

capacity to make new friends, solve problems, talk to adults, say what they want to or

understand the feelings of others resisting peer pressure, finally improve skills for

coping with anger and criticism. Increase and strengthen obedience and communication

skills and reduce aggressiveness, hyperactivity, shyness, depression and the likelihood

of problem behaviour.

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