The Effectiveness of Parenting Skills Training Programs for Parents with Histories of Sexual Trauma, Serious Mental Illness, or Military Service

Waldrop JB, Schechter JC, Davis NO, Burke C, Rushton S, Goodsmith N, Fulton JJ, Joseph L, Rossitch S, Gordon AM, Jacobs M, Snyder J, Dennis PA, Cantrell S, Goldstein KM, Gierisch JM. The Effectiveness of Parenting Skills Training Programs for Parents with Histories of Sexual Trauma, Serious Mental Illness, or Military Service. VA Evidence-based Synthesis Program Reports. Washington (DC): Department of Veterans Affairs (US); 2023 Sep 1.

Evidence-based parenting programs have demonstrated effectiveness for increasing parenting confidence, minimizing family stress, and improving parent-child relationships. Yet the majority of evidence-based behavioral parenting programs have centered on the child’s presentation, including behavioral or emotion challenges, rather than on the characteristics of parents. It is unclear whether parenting interventions centered on children’s characteristics would be effective for parents with unique needs and experiences. While parenting can be challenging for any person, parents who have experienced significant stress from their own traumatic exposures or health conditions may face even greater obstacles in their family systems. Among Veterans, important sources of excess family stress are a parental history of sexual trauma and serious mental illness. Providing interventions to enhance parenting practices and support parents who have experienced, or are at high risk for experiencing, excess family stress can be a critical tool for improving family functioning.