`FILIAL THERAPY WITH ADOLESCENT PARENTS: THE EFFECT ON PARENTAL EMPATHY, ACCEPTANCE, AND STRESS A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education Liberty University In partial fulfillment of The requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education by Cathy Virginia Ford Sparks April, 2010 ii Filial Therapy with Adolescent Parents: The Effect on Parental Empathy, Acceptance, and Stress By Cathy Ford Sparks APPROVED: COMMITTEE CHAIR: Kathie Morgan, Ed.D COMMITTEE MEMBERS: John Duryea, Ed.D Christie Rogers-Larke, Ed.D CHAIR, GRADUATE STUDIES Scott Watson, Ph.D iii ABSTRACT Cathy Ford Sparks. FILIAL THERAPY WITH ADOLESCENT PARENTS: THE EFFECT ON PARENTAL EMPATHY, ACCEPTANCE, AND STRESS. (Under the direction of Dr. Kathie Morgan) School of Education, April 2010. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of filial therapy training on adolescent parents‟ parental empathy, acceptance, stress, and attainment of educational goals. It used a quasi-experimental, non-randomized sample drawn from a population of adolescent parents from three different high schools, pretest/posttest design, to measure the effectiveness of filial therapy. Each parent completed a ten week training period using either a filial therapy model or a typical parenting education model. Data included pretest and posttest questionnaires and videotaped sessions of play with their child. Statistical analyses showed a significant difference in seven of the thirteen areas. Parents in the filial therapy group showed significant increases in empathy and acceptance of their child. Decreases in stress were not statistically significant. Both experimental and control groups showed evidence that providing programs that support adolescent mothers in the school setting increases the chances that they will remain in school. Suggestions for further research are also included. iv Copyright 2010 by Cathy Ford Sparks (Ed.D) All Rights Reserved v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere love and appreciation to my husband, Rev. Tommy Sparks, for his encouragement as I have fulfilled my dream. Thank you for always believing in me and supporting me along the way. I would like to thank my children, Travis, Eric, and Amanda for being the wonderful children that you are and always being proud of your Mom. To my beautiful grandchildren, Grammy loves you very much. I would like to thank Wanda Fowler for being a wonderful boss and editor of my work. Special thanks to my research assistants, Julie Dillon and Nicole Milano. Thank you also to Renee O‟Brien for helping with the technical writing and to Katie Ordoyne for ensuring that my statistics were correct. To my dissertation committee, Dr. Kathie Morgan, Dr. John Duryea, and Dr. Christie Rogers-Larke, thank you for all of your guidance, help, and wisdom. Finally, to Dr. James Rentz, thank you for being a mentor, an encourager, and for giving me a gentle push when I needed it. To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I extend all of the glory, honor, and praise for all that has been accomplished in my life, for without Him, I can do nothing. vi DEDICATION This project is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my parents, George and Billie Ford. They always provided for me love, encouragement, and support for anything that I ever tried to do. They instilled in me love for God, love for family, and love for learning. Without their love and encouragement, this dream would have never become a reality. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii Copyright ........................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................v Dedication .......................................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. vii List of Tables .......................................................................................................................x Chapter One: Introduction ...................................................................................................1 Theoretical Background of the Problem .................................................................1 Children........................................................................................................2 Filial Therapy ...............................................................................................2 Empathy and Acceptance .............................................................................4 Stress ...........................................................................................................5 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................5 Research Hypothesis ................................................................................................6 Definitions................................................................................................................8 Importance of the Study………………………………………………………….11 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature .............................................................................12 Introduction ............................................................................................................12 Adolescence ...........................................................................................................12 Negative Outcomes ................................................................................................13 Mothers ......................................................................................................14 viii Fathers ........................................................................................................15 Children......................................................................................................15 Filial Therapy .........................................................................................................19 Parental Stress ........................................................................................................28 Parental Empathy ...................................................................................................29 Parental Acceptance ...............................................................................................30 Educational Goals………………………………………………………………...31 Filial Research…………………………………………………………………….33 Conclusion .............................................................................................................42 Chapter Three: Methodology .............................................................................................44 Research Design.....................................................................................................44 Selection of Subjects ..............................................................................................44 Instrumentation ......................................................................................................45 Procedures ..............................................................................................................48 Treatment Experimental Group .............................................................................49 Treatment Control Group .......................................................................................51 Research Hypothesis……………………………………………………………...52 Analysis of Data .....................................................................................................54 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................54 Chapter Four: Results ........................................................................................................56 Chapter Five: Discussion and Conclusions........................................................................84 Summary ................................................................................................................85 Parental Acceptance………………………………………………………..85 ix Parental Empathy…………………………………………………………..86 Parental Stress……………………………………………………………87 Meeting Educational Goals………………………………………………89 Limitations .............................................................................................................90 Recommendations ..................................................................................................90 Concluding Remarks ..............................................................................................91 References ..........................................................................................................................95 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………… ...112 Appendix A: Consent Form .................................................................................112 Appendix B: Child Parent Relationship Therapy ................................................115 Appendix C: Parenting Stress Index ....................................................................116 Appendix D: Porter Parental Acceptance Inventory ............................................117 Appendix E: Measurement of Adult Child Interaction ........................................118