Page 30 - Disrupting the Transmission of Violence

development is most significant in younger children, who are under the influence of their

parents (Peretti, & Statum, 1984). The study found that the authoritarian attitudes of the
young fathers were very similar to the authoritarian attitudes of the older fathers, suggesting

a strong influence of intergenerational transmission of parental attitudes. Social Learning
and Family Systems Theories support this view.

CSJP Parenting Programme Model

The overall objective of the CSJP Parenting Programme was to nurture in parents the
capacity to engage in effective parenting strategies without coercion. The specific

objective, as stated in the Results Matrix is “improved knowledge and attitude of individuals
and families to resolve conflicts.” The intermediate objective in the CSJP targeted

communities was “improved behaviours for non-violent conflict resolutions”.

The CSJP Programme was guided by the understanding that training to identify, define
and respond to their children’s problems, using positive reinforcement accompanied

by communicating, negotiating, and understanding to apply logical consequences to
problem behaviours; would go a far way in reducing the need for coercion to have

compliance from their children. The CSJP parenting education programme took a
comprehensive approach to parenting. This approach incorporates a flexible but less

complex emphasis on learning the fundamentals of parent-child relationships. It is
based on a Positive Parenting Programme model (Sanders, 1999). This model is based

on the concept of training parent-trainers who would train parents in their homes. This
arrangement would be coupled with the six general categories for parent education,

elaborated in the National Extension Parent Education (Smith, Cudaback, Goddard, &
Myers-Walls, 1994). These categories are care for self, understanding children, nurturing

children, giving guidance, motivating children and being an advocate, for developing
the CSJP initiative. It was the consensus that a combination of the parent-trainers initiative

and the six general categories for parent education will foster a holistic approach to child
rearing.

A study of the parent-child relationship and its effects on obedience, self-esteem, values

and responsibility has helped parents to gain an understanding into the feelings and

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