The Impact of Compassion-Focused Training on Parental Self-Efficacy in Mothers of Children with Externalizing Behaviors

Mothers of children with externalizing behaviors often experience low self-efficacy. The present study investigated the effectiveness of compassion-focused training (CFT) on parental self-efficacy components in mothers of children with externalizing problems. This study employed a semi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. The target population comprised mothers of children exhibiting externalizing behaviors residing in Isfahan, Iran. A convenience sampling technique yielded a sample of 30 mothers who were subsequently randomized into an experimental group (n=15) and a control group (n=15). The experimental group received an eight-week CFT intervention delivered in weekly 90-minute sessions. The control group remained on a waitlist during the intervention period. The Berkeley Parenting Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSE-R) served as the primary outcome measure. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) within SPSS version 23. Parental self-efficacy scores in the CFT group increased significantly from pre-test (51.87±6.17) to post-test (66.39±7.96), while the control group showed no significant change (pre-test: 51.90±5.26; post-test: 54.23±4.08). In the post-test, the CFT group showed significantly higher self-efficacy compared with the control group (P=0.001). Moreover, the CFT significantly increased maternal self-efficacy in the subscales of responsibility acceptance, self-management, child acceptance, and positive child evaluation compared with the control group (P<0.05). The CFT intervention demonstrated significant effectiveness in enhancing various aspects of parental self-efficacy among mothers of children with externalizing problems. These findings suggested that CFT may be a valuable intervention for empowering mothers to manage the challenges associated with raising children exhibiting externalizing behaviors.