The Effect of Communication Skills Training for parents on Adolescent Female Students' Self-Esteem

Abstract

Objective (s): The association between self-esteem and the process of mental development of individuals and mental health is well established. In adolescence, the role of parents and their skills in communicating is very sensitive and vital. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of parents' communication skills training on the self -esteem of adolescent female students. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study that conducted in one of the state high schools in Damavand, Iran in 2019. The sample consisted of 77 adolescent girls and their parents who were assigned to two groups: intervention and control. Parents in the intervention group received 16 training sessions in a group pf 10 participants. The control group received nothing. In both groups students completed a self-esteem questionnaire (Cooper-Smith questionnaire) at two points in time: before intervention and three months after the intervention. The data were analyzed by Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney and analysis of covariance using SPSS22 software. Results: Both groups were similar in most characteristics and at baseline self-esteem score did not differ significantly between two groups (p=0.49). However, after the intervention, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups according to analysis of covariance (p=0.001). Conclusion The findings suggest parents' communication skills training could be effective in improving adolescents’ selfesteem.