תוכן הכתבה
Parents play a central role in reducing the risk that children and adolescents will engage in substance use, including alcohol and drugs. The key question is: What tools can parents use to prevent risky behaviors in their children?
Key Research Insights
Studies indicate that a parenting style combining clear rules, open communication, and a positive parent-child relationship is linked to reduced substance use among adolescents. Conversely, poor parental functioning may contribute to behavioral problems and involvement in risky behaviors.
Prevention Programs for Parents
Many prevention programs aim to reduce adolescents’ involvement in anti-social behavior, substance use, and alcohol consumption. Some programs are specifically designed for parents, while others involve parents alongside children. These programs focus on teaching and practicing parenting skills to help parents effectively address the developmental, psychological, and social needs of their children.
Key Criteria for Prevention
Role Modeling:
Parents serve as powerful role models for their children. Parents who display violent behavior or use psychoactive substances may inadvertently convey that such behaviors are acceptable, increasing the risk for their children. Parental behavior also influences children’s expectations regarding punishment and the perceived consequences of risky behaviors.
Parental Supervision:
Effective protection against substance use relies on parental monitoring, which includes knowledge of children’s activities, whereabouts, and friends. This knowledge reflects a warm and supportive family climate, in which children feel free to share personal information with their parents.
Parental Warmth:
Love and support from parents during a child’s development provide a strong protective effect against substance use. Trust-based communication encourages children to share information voluntarily and follow parental norms regarding risky behaviors.
Authoritative Parenting Style:
Combining warmth and support with firm supervision, authoritative parents set clear boundaries while involving children in decision-making. They reinforce positive behavior through praise and rewards. Children raised with this parenting style tend to be responsible, confident, happy, and capable of making safe decisions independently.
Life Skills and Parenting Skills
Effective prevention programs combine the development of life skills in children (problem-solving, conflict management, self-control, decision-making, and resistance to peer pressure) with the teaching of parenting skills, including:
- Parental Involvement: Actively participating in children’s lives, monitoring friendships, and engaging in education.
- Positive Discipline: Implementing age-appropriate strategies to reinforce good behavior.
- Role Modeling: Demonstrating desired behaviors for children to emulate.
- Effective Communication: Active listening, reflecting children’s emotions, and discussing risks openly.
- Setting Rules and Supervision: Establishing clear rules and monitoring children’s activities, even when not physically present.
Engaging Parents in Prevention
Parental involvement is essential for children’s well-being and reducing risky behaviors. A theoretical model for recruiting parents emphasizes:
- Increasing perceived susceptibility: Parents recognize the likelihood of their child encountering risky behaviors.
- Increasing perceived severity: Parents understand the serious consequences associated with risky behaviors.
- Reducing perceived barriers: Identifying practical obstacles to involvement, such as time, transportation, or lack of support.
- Increasing perceived benefits: Parents clearly see the advantages of participation for themselves, their child, and their family.
- Increasing self-efficacy: Parents believe in their ability to guide their child toward prosocial behavior.
When parents perceive that the benefits of preventive action outweigh the barriers, they are more likely to engage in prevention programs and actively participate in promoting their child’s well-being.
Summary
Parents play a critical role in reducing risky behaviors in their children. To fulfill this role, parents must understand how their behavior influences their child and how to communicate effectively about potential risks. This knowledge supports decision-makers and program managers in designing research-based prevention programs that include workshops and guidance for both parents and children.
In line with research findings, the Prevention Department of the Authority for Combating Violence, Drugs, and Alcohol in Haifa is expanding and refining its work with parents to maximize their impact on reducing risky behaviors among youth.