Enhancing Communities through the Design, Development and Dissemination of Positive Parenting Interventions

Abstract

Positive, healthy and happy families are the cornerstone of any healthy community. Parenting programs which address multiple aspects of family functioning are potentially the most effective means of creating positive family environments. However, the various constituents who “consume” parenting support and intervention often are not engaged to help shape program design and development. Using the challenge of parenting siblings as a case example, this paper describes a conceptual framework for enhancing the health and well-being of communities through the iterative development of empirically supported parenting interventions. A model of program development involving enhanced consumer involvement is presented to illustrate how evidence-based parenting interventions can be developed to meet the needs of different constituent groups, resulting in more positive families and stronger communities.