Child Welfare. 2014 Nov-Dec;93(6):45-72.

Efficacy of Blended Preservice Training for Resource Parents.

Child welfare

Lee White, Richard Delaney, Caesar Pacifici, Carol Nelson, Josh Whitkin, Maureen Lovejoy, Betsy Keefer Smalley

PMID: 28626240 PMCID: PMC5471628

Abstract

To evaluate a new way of meeting the growing demand for training prospective resource parents, our study compared the efficacy of a blended online and in-person approach with a traditional classroom-only approach. Findings based on a sample of 111 resource parent prospects showed significantly greater gains in knowledge from pre- to posttest for the blended approach over the classroom-only approach. The blended approach also produced dramatically lower dropout rates during preservice training. Both groups made significant gains in parenting awareness from pre to post, but those gains were greater for the classroom-only approach. Post hoc analyses examined this finding more closely. Satisfaction with training was comparably high for both groups. Gains in knowledge and awareness were sustained at a 3-month follow-up assessment.

Keywords: adoptive parents; blended training; foster parents; hybrid training; kinship caregivers; parent assessment; preservice training; randomized trial; resource parents; web-based training

References

1. J Soc Serv Res. 2012;38(4):503-514 - PubMed

Publication Types

• Journal Article

Grant support

• R43 HD054032/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States
• R44 HD054032/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States