Promoting Emotional Health through a Parenting Support Programme: What Motivates Parents to Enrol?

Parenting support programmes have the potential to make valuable contributions to the emotional well-being of parents, children and families. While evaluation of parenting support initiatives has provided steady evidence of their effectiveness, there is as yet little information available about the factors that motivate parents to enrol in parenting support programmes. The present study sought to provide insights into this issue by interviewing 20 parents who had taken part in a parenting support programme at least 12 months previously. Thematic analysis of their comments yielded insights into four key areas: parents' initial interest in seeking support, making the decision to join a group, initial concerns about joining, and parents' expectations of parenting groups. The authors offer recommendations for those interested in establishing parent support groups.