This study was conducted to determine the relationship between parental empathy (PE) and parental acceptance (PA) and the effect of filial therapy training (FTT) on this relationship. Filial therapy training is a parent education program in which the goal is the development of PE and PA. The Measurement of Empathy in Adult-Child Interaction (MEACI) and the Porter Parental Acceptance Scale (PPAS) are two widely used instruments in filial therapy studies to measure PE and PA, respectively. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between parental empathy and parental acceptance, and the effect of filial therapy training on this relationship. Specifically, this study was designed to investigate the correlations between the MEACI and the PPAS.

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This study was conducted to investigate the nonpromotion message's affective impact on parents. An interview guide was developed to collect data on parents' reactions to several aspects of public schools: Elementary schools in general; Messages received from elementary schools; Current practices (nonpromotion) in schools; Parents' feelings as a result of their child being retained; Information about their family. Interviews were conducted with parents of 180 children who attended public schools. Ninety interviews were conducted with parents of children who had been retained in either second, third or fifth grade and 90 were conducted with parents of children who had been identified as low achievers in second, third or fifth grade. Statistical and ethnographic analyses were completed to investigate parents' feelings about nonpromotion. There was little statistical evidence to indicate that parents perceived the nonpromotion message as an evaluation of themselves and the level of parents' affective reaction to the nonpromotion message was fairly neutral. Grade level at which a child was retained and socio-economic status of the family were unrelated to parents' affective reaction and self-evaluation scores. Also parents tended to blame the teacher and the child for a nonpromotion more than they blamed the school programs, the principal or themselves. One emerging concept revealed by the ethnographic analysis was that the school's strategy for working with parents had an influence on the parents' reaction to their child's nonpromotion. Parents' compliance with the need for nonpromotion seemed to be influenced by what the school personnel said rather than a personal response to what they felt would be the best for their child's future. Parents did what the school told them to do, they believed that the school provided them with accurate information, and that nonpromotion was the best alternative for their child. The exploratory data analyzed by this study provided some insight into the parents' emotional readiness and reaction to the academic failure of their child and provided suggestions for improved parent-school communications. A need for open and honest communication and cooperation between parents and educators was indicated. The use of parental contact had a positive influence on the parents' perception and support of the nonpromotion decision.

The purpose of the study was to assess the perceptions of mothers of multihandicapped offspring, special education teachers, and special education supervisors regarding the mothers' adjustment to their multihandicapped children. Specifically, the nature of the adjustment process was investigated; whether it was more aptly characterized as chronic sorrow or time-bound grief. Additional information was sought on the availability and usefulness of parental support services. Subjects included 15 mothers of multihandicapped offspring, 8 special education supervisors and 7 special education teachers. All were associated with the Cooperative Centers for Exceptional Children, in rural southwest Virginia. Data were collected by personal interviews. Subjects responded to open-ended questions and constructed graphs representing their perceptions of parental distress at 12 developmental crisis points. All of the mothers and educators constructed graphs representing chronic sorrow as opposed to time-bound grief. All but one of the mothers indicated that although they experienced chronic distress, it was a periodic rather than continuous phenomenon. Comparison of the mean group ratings for each of the 12 crisis points revealed significant differences in the groups' perceptions of parental distress at only two crisis points: ''management of a crisis unique to the child", for which the educators underestimated the mothers' distress; and "onset of puberty", for which the teachers overestimated the mothers' distress. All respondents perceived a difference in mothers' distress levels at various developmental crisis points. ''Birth/diagnosis'', discussion of placement of the child outside of the home", ''management of a crisis unique to the child", and "discussion of guardianship" were perceived as highly distressful by all three groups. Deficits were revealed in the existing parental support service delivery system(s) in the geographic region of the study. Services to parents of preschool children and offspring age 13-15 and older appeared to be insufficient to meet the parents ' needs. A lack of organization and communication among community agencies, the limited scope of available services, and parents' reluctance or inability to use available services were cited as contributing factors to the problems in service delivery. The support services ranked as the most useful by parents and educators were individual counseling, respite care, parent groups, and conferences with the offspring's teacher. / Ed. D.

This study deals with identifying risk factors using measuring instruments in the relationshlp between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters in reconstituted families. Risk factors can complicate the relationshlp between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters and deviate from the given criteria in this study. Extensive literature survey has been done concerning the reconstituted family, relationshlps, stepmothers, adolescent stepdaughters . and biological fathers. Research shows that the stepmother-stepdaughter relationshlp is the most complicated relationshlp within the reconstituted family and adolescent stepdaughters experience more problems adapting than stepsons. Statistics reveal that the divorce rate and therefore the number of reconstituted families is still on the increase. Literature survey shows that overwhelmingly poor relationshlps are found within the reconstituted family. Added to the risk factors that have been identified during research, professional people were also consulted in identifying the risk factors that could complicate the relationship between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters as experienced in practice. After establishing the risk factors, measuring instruments have been emperically applied to determine if the mentioned risk factors in reconstituted families can be identified. The measuring instruments include five standardised and one unstandardised questionnaires. The EPI, 16-PF and HSPQ were used to determine the characteristics in the three parties involved. The Parentchild- communication questionnaire and the Persoonlike vraelys vir hoi!rskoolleerlinge were utilised to identifY various risk factors. The unstandardised RF-Agtergrondvraelys provides background information and highlights risk factors other measuring instruments do not identifY. Arising from information gained on a spesific reconstituted family through measuring instmments, the risk factors can be carried over onto the Samevattende evalueringsblad vir risikofaktore. The biggest problems seem to be discipline and divided loyalty. The structure and conditions of each reconstituted family are unique; therefore the risk factors will differ in families. Even similar risk factors can be experienced differently by each member or other families. The uniqueness and complexity surrounding the reconstituted family is emphasised by this. The identified risk factors can be used in various fields of study that involve reconstituted families. This study is helpful in court where custody placement of minors is broached. The identified risk factors can ease in counselling and therapy . / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

This study deals with identifying risk factors using measuring instruments in the relationshlp between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters in reconstituted families. Risk factors can complicate the relationshlp between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters and deviate from the given criteria in this study. Extensive literature survey has been done concerning the reconstituted family, relationshlps, stepmothers, adolescent stepdaughters . and biological fathers. Research shows that the stepmother-stepdaughter relationshlp is the most complicated relationshlp within the reconstituted family and adolescent stepdaughters experience more problems adapting than stepsons. Statistics reveal that the divorce rate and therefore the number of reconstituted families is still on the increase. Literature survey shows that overwhelmingly poor relationshlps are found within the reconstituted family. Added to the risk factors that have been identified during research, professional people were also consulted in identifying the risk factors that could complicate the relationship between stepmothers and adolescent stepdaughters as experienced in practice. After establishing the risk factors, measuring instruments have been emperically applied to determine if the mentioned risk factors in reconstituted families can be identified. The measuring instruments include five standardised and one unstandardised questionnaires. The EPI, 16-PF and HSPQ were used to determine the characteristics in the three parties involved. The Parentchild- communication questionnaire and the Persoonlike vraelys vir hoi!rskoolleerlinge were utilised to identifY various risk factors. The unstandardised RF-Agtergrondvraelys provides background information and highlights risk factors other measuring instruments do not identifY. Arising from information gained on a spesific reconstituted family through measuring instmments, the risk factors can be carried over onto the Samevattende evalueringsblad vir risikofaktore. The biggest problems seem to be discipline and divided loyalty. The structure and conditions of each reconstituted family are unique; therefore the risk factors will differ in families. Even similar risk factors can be experienced differently by each member or other families. The uniqueness and complexity surrounding the reconstituted family is emphasised by this. The identified risk factors can be used in various fields of study that involve reconstituted families. This study is helpful in court where custody placement of minors is broached. The identified risk factors can ease in counselling and therapy . / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The problem of this study concerns the effects of a Parent Education Program upon parents' self-esteem, parental acceptance, and perceived self-concept of children. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of the Parent Education Program upon parents' self-esteem, parental acceptance, and children's perceived self-concept; and to investigate the relationships between parental acceptance, parents' self-esteem, children's perceived self-concept, and parents', teachers' and counselors' perception of children's self-concept.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between parental acceptance-rejection/control, personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. In this regard, 801 university students (440 females and 361 males) between the ages of 18 and 47 (M = 21.85, SD = 2.59) participated in the present study. The data of the study were collected by a package of questionnaires consisting of Demographic Information Sheet, Mother Form of Parental Acceptance-Rejection/ Control Questionnaire, Father Form of Parental Acceptance-Rejection/ Control Questionnaire, Basic Personality Traits Inventory, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Locus of Control Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Trait form of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Trait form of the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory, respectively. Prior to main analyses, factor structure of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale was investigated in a university student sample. Similar to the original formulation and theoretical background, a six-factor solution was utilized including concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, personal standards, organization parental criticism and parental expectations factors. Later on, various MANOVAs were conducted to examine the influence of demographic variables on the measures of the study. Accordingly, socio-economic level and gender were indentified to have influence on parental behaviors, personality constructs and trait anxiety. Afterwards, two sets of hierarchical analyses were conducted to examine the paths between personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. As expected, negative parental behaviors predicted maladaptive personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the mediator role of perfectionism on the relationship between parental rejection/control and symptoms of psychopathology. Accordingly, perfectionism was identified as a mediator on the relationship between both maternal and paternal rejection and symptoms of psychopathology. On the other hand, in terms of parental control, only the relationship between paternal control and trait anger was mediated by the perfectionism. Later on, results of the current study were discussed within the related literature findings. Finally, clinical implications and suggestions for future research were stated.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of filial therapy in: (a) increasing Chinese parents' empathic behavior with their children; (b) increasing Chinese parents' attitude of acceptance toward their children; and (c) reducing Chinese parents' stress related to parenting. The experimental group, consisting of 18 Chinese parents, received 10 weekly 2-hour filial therapy training sessions and conducted a weekly 3 0-minute play session with one of their children. The control group, consisting of 16 Chinese parents, received no treatment during the ten weeks. All the parents were videotaped playing with their child before and after the training as a means of measuring change in empathic behavior. The two written self-report instruments completed for pretesting and posttesting purposes were the Porter Parental Acceptance Scale and the Parenting Stress Index. Analyses of Covariance revealed that the Chinese parents in the experimental group had significant changes in all 12 hypotheses, including (a) a significant increase in their level of empathic interactions with their children; (b) a significant increase in their attitude of acceptance toward their children; and (c) a significant reduction in their level of stress related to parenting. This study supports filial therapy as an effective intervention for Chinese parents and their children. Filial therapy equips Chinese parents with healthy parenting skills and knowledge and indirectly empowers Chinese children who experience an increase in parental empathy and acceptance. Thus, filial therapy offers significant possibilities for promoting the parent-child relationship and well-being of Chinese families.

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