ERIC Number: EJ1053984
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Jan
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0740-2708
EISSN: N/A
Evaluating the Turning Points Curriculum: A Three-Year Study to Assess Parenting Knowledge in a Sample of Incarcerated Women
Urban, Lynn S.; Burton, Barb
Journal of Correctional Education, v66 n1 p58-74 Jan 2015
The current study is an evaluation of the Turning Points parenting curriculum specially designed for use with incarcerated populations. The project combines intensive parent education with supervised offender mother/child visits in special family visiting rooms as well as ongoing offender support groups to help offender mothers become more effective parents. The current study will add to this body of literature by reporting results from three years of parenting classes; data was collected for a substantial number of participants (n = 204 unduplicated). In addition, longitudinal data is available for a select group of women (n = 18) who participated in the program over multiple years. Incarcerated women who meet program criteria self-select to participate. A pretest is administered to every participant at the beginning of each of the 10 parenting lessons and a posttest, exactly like the pretest, is administered to every participant at the end of every parenting lesson to assess any knowledge gained. Paired samples t-tests revealed that mean posttests scores were consistently significantly higher than pretest scores for all lessons and all years. Results also show an increase in parenting confidence during the class. Longitudinally, paired samples t-test results indicate four topic areas were not statistically significant between Time 1 and Time 3, indicating women retained some knowledge. Overall the evidence shows parent education programs can make a real difference in stopping the intergenerational cycle of incarceration by stopping the intergenerational cycle of ineffective parenting.
Descriptors: Employees, Correctional Institutions, Parent Education, Child Rearing, Mothers, Longitudinal Studies, Pretests Posttests, Self Esteem, Program Effectiveness, Measures (Individuals)
Correctional Education Association. 8182 Lark Brown Road Suite 202, Elkridge, MD 21075. Tel: 800-783-1232; Fax: 443-459-3088; e-mail: ceaoffice@aol.com; Web site: http://www.ceanational.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Missouri
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A