NCJ Number
46942
Date Published
1978
Length
134 pages
Annotation
THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF PARENTS ANONYMOUS, A SELF-HELP THERAPY GROUP ARE EXAMINED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHANGES IN PARTICIPANT SELF-CONCEPTS.
Abstract
THE STATED OBJECTIVE OF PARENTS ANONYMOUS IS TO ACT AS A CRISIS INTERVENTION PROGRAM IN HELPING PREVENT DAMAGING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN. IT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ABUSING PARENTS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR FEELINGS WITH OTHER PARENTS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. THE GROUP LEADER OR CHAPTER CHAIRPERSON IS ALWAYS A PARENT WITH ABUSE EXPERIENCE; IT IS BELIEVED THAT SHARING IS BEST FACILITATED IN A GROUP WHERE THE FOCAL PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY THOSE PERCEIVED AS LEADERS. A CHILD-REARING MODEL IS PRESENTED TO THE GROUP WITH CARE THAT IT NOT BE VIEWED OR USED AS A SOURCE OF JUDGMENT OR STIMULUS FOR GUILT. THE CENTRAL THEME OF THE STUDY MAINTAINS THAT CHILD ABUSERS WHO ARE SUCCESSFULLY HELPED BY PARENTS ANONYMOUS ACHIEVE SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND MORAL REINSTATEMENT. THE WAY IN WHICH THE MORAL REINSTATEMENT OCCURS WITHIN THE SETTING OF THE GROUP AND THE ATTENDANT EFFECTS OF SUCH A REINSTATEMENT ARE EXAMINED. CONCLUSIONS DERIVED FROM THE AUTHOR'S INTERACTION WITH FOUR INDEPENDENT PARENTS ANONYMOUS GROUPS ARE PRESENTED. BASED ON THE OBSERVATION OF SUBJECTS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF GROUP ACTIVITIES AND ON INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT A PLURALITY OF EXPERIENCE AND BEHAVIOR EXISTS, APART FROM SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, AGE, OR GENDER. THE STUDY DETERMINES THAT SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN SELF-IMAGE AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING OCCURS IN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS, RESULTING IN THE EMERGENCE OF A PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP APPROACHING THAT PRESENTED IN THE MODEL. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE INTERVIEW FORM. (RCB)