FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2008
New Research Shows Parents Anonymous® Helps Prevent Child Abuse
Family Resource Center Offers 14 Parents Anonymous Groups Locally
St. Louis, MO – According to national research recently released by Parents Anonymous®, participation in weekly support groups resulted in dramatic improvements in parental stress levels, as well as enhanced feelings of personal and family well-being. The national research is consistent with the experience of the 14 Parents Anonymous groups in St. Louis and surrounding counties offered by Family Resource Center (FRC), an area non-profit dedicated to preventing and treating child abuse.
"The national findings support the positive results we’ve seen with our growing Parent’s Anonymous program locally,” said FRC program manager Lora Gulley. “At an April 11th Parents Anonymous Men’s Group, 25 area fathers who participated in the parenting program expressed how the group had helped them learn new ways to deal with family stress to avoid aggression and become better fathers.”
Many of the parents in the program are trying to heal broken relationships with their children, and this group provides the support system they need to be successful. “I used to be afraid to ask for help, but Parents Anonymous has taught me that asking for help is a sign of strength,” stated one father. The friendships they form within the group are very powerful. Several of the participants are forming an alumni association to recruit other fathers to attend the program. One of the fathers expressed his gratitude towards the group saying, “I’ve always been an only child, but now I have brothers.”
The national study reports parents participating in Parents Anonymous dramatically improved their parenting skills and behaviors:
- 73% noted decreased parenting distress
- 56% reduced use of psychological aggression towards their children
- 83% of parents who had used physical aggression towards their children stopped
- 67% noted improved quality of life
Over 80,000 incidents of child abuse and neglect involving Missouri children were reported in 2005 alone, 22 percent of which came from the St. Louis metropolitan area. Parents Anonymous and Family Resource Center are dedicated to preventing child abuse. For information about Parents Anonymous area groups, contact Family Resource Center at 314.534.9350.
Parents Anonymous is an internationally recognized family strengthening model, to create a safe, supportive, therapeutic environment for parents with the goal of preventing child abuse by building parental confidence, fostering parent-child interpersonal relationships, and promoting problem-solving to improve the resiliency of children and families. While adults meet, children participate in supervised Parents Anonymous® Children and Youth Program meetings, engaging in activities that stimulate their social and emotional development.
The study of a national representative sample of diverse parents new to Parents Anonymous was conducted by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency and funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. The evidence is based on standardized scales measuring child maltreatment outcomes, risk and protective factors. A comparison group measured the difference in outcomes between parents who did and those who did not continue to attend Parents Anonymous groups over a six month period.
About Family Resource Center
Family Resource Center, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is one of Missouri's largest family counseling agencies dedicated to preventing and treating child abuse and neglect. Established in 1974, the nationally accredited agency has served more than 100,000 children and family members in St. Louis City and surrounding counties. In 2007, FRC served more than 10,000 children and parents - strengthening families through therapeutic, educational, mentoring and supportive services. FRC also offers consultation and training for social service professionals who work with families and children, as well as Parents Anonymous® support groups.