Spiritually based parenting workshop: An outcome study

The present study observed the effects of one spiritually based parenting workshop: Parent and Family Healing. A repeated-measures design using before, after, and 3-week follow-up revealed that in the sample of 65 parents, Parent and Family Healing significantly lowered parents’ stress and negative affect, and increased their parental efficacy and parental satisfaction. These effects were all maintained at the 3-week follow-up. The workshop also significantly increased parents’ positive affect, but this change was not maintained 3 weeks following the workshop. Spirituality level did not change significantly over the course of the workshop or at follow-up, despite the workshop being spiritually based. Participants rated all the spiritual components of the workshop as between somewhat and very helpful. Finally, parents’ free-response answers revealed very positive opinions about the workshop, its effects, and the spiritual approach taken.