Delivering parent education to low and high risk parents of adolescents via age-paced newsletters

A mail survey examines the effectiveness of parent education newsletters among 726 White parents of 9th to 12th graders. Comparing the control with the treatment groups, parent education newsletters resulted in closer parental monitoring. Comparing the central group with readers, parents who read all of the newsletters reported closer monitoring, higher responsiveness, and more parent/teen discussions. The newsletters were as effective or more effective for parents who faced single or multiple risks than for those who faced no risk factors. Implications are given for theory, methodology, and practice.