The effectiveness of parenting skills training on the manifestation of anxiety, mentalization, and defense mechanisms

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of parenting skills training on reducing anxiety, improving mentalizing ability, and modulating parents' defense mechanisms. This study was conducted in a quasi-experimental manner with a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The research sample included parents who voluntarily participated in the parenting skills training course and were randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups. The experimental group received training based on positive parenting principles, emotion regulation, mentalizing, and effective communication methods with the child over several sessions; while the control group did not receive any intervention. Standard anxiety, mentalizing, and defense mechanisms questionnaires were used to measure the variables. The results of the data analysis showed that parenting skills training significantly reduced parental anxiety, increased the ability to mentalize, and employed more mature defense mechanisms. These findings indicate that educational interventions in the field of parenting can, in addition to improving the quality of parent-child interaction, have broad positive psychological consequences for parents.

کلیدواژه ها:

Parenting skills ، mentalizing and defense mechanisms ، anxiety