Family Training Programs and the Educational Needs of Parents of Senior High School Students

H. Mazaheri

The present research was carried out to identify the educational needs of parents of senior high school students in family training programs. The sample size was 420 individuals based on Morgan’s table and the sample was selected through stratified sampling method. The instrumentation included a 50-item questionnaire assessing five subscales, i.e., behavioral problems, educational and psychological issues, education and career counseling, sex training and marriage as well as hygiene and nutrition matters. The data of this non-experimental survey were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (proportion test and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). The findings showed that there were significant differences among parents’ needs. In addition, in training programs priority should be given to the parents’ needs in the following descending order of importance: 1) educational and psychological issues, 2) behavioral problems, 3) education and career counseling, 4) sex training and marriage, and 5) hygiene and nutrition matters. It is suggested that family training programs should be based on needs assessment so that alleviation of the problems facilitates students’ learning and paves the way for social development.

Key words:  educational needs assessment, family training, Teachers-Parents Association