Circle of Security parenting program efficacy for improving parental self-efficacy in a South African setting: Preliminary evidence

Abstract

This pilot study examined the cross-cultural transportability of a western Circle of Security (COS) parenting program to improve on levels of parental self-efficacy in a South African setting . Participants (n = 9) were sampled from a fishing community on the West Coast of South Africa . The participants completed the COS with pre-test and post-test measures of their parenting self-efficacy . Furthermore, they completed an open-ended measure of their satisfaction with the parenting program . The data were analysed using the Wilcoxon sign-rank test and the Sign test to determine the significance in differences between pre-to-post-test change scores . In addition, a thematic analysis was conducted on participant’s satisfaction with the parenting program . Results indicated significant and possible change scores for the efficacy scores: ability to handle parenting pressures, control, and learning . The participants considered the COS program appropriate to their context and situation . These preliminary findings support the need for further study of the COS parenting program within the broader context of South Africa.