Background Children with developmental disabilities tend to develop challenging behaviours. Parenting programmes that focus on behaviour management may help parents address these difficult behaviours by increasing parenting self‐efficacy. However, the literature on parenting self‐efficacy is still limited due to measurement variability in conceptualization and operationalization of the construct, and heavy reliance on cross‐sectional data. Method This study utilized hierarchical linear regression to examine the predictors of parenting self‐efficacy in 284 mothers who attended a parenting programme in a hospital's Department of Child Development in Singapore. Results Our model was able to explain 37% of variance in parenting self‐efficacy. After controlling for general stress and specific parenting hassles, the programme was still found to be effective in improving mothers’ parenting self‐efficacy. Conclusions Results are discussed in terms of their implications for developing a model for parenting self‐efficacy, and possible improvements to be made on the parenting programme.

Background The Signposts for Building Better Behaviour program, developed by the Parenting Research Centre, Victoria, Australia, was conducted at a public hospital facility in Singapore. Method More than 1,000 parents completed the program, and filled in questionnaires about their child's behaviours. Results Parents rated themselves in the questionnaires as being significantly less hassled, stressed, depressed, and anxious after attending the program. They were more confident and satisfied with managing their child, and rated their children's behaviours as having improved. Effect sizes ranged from 0.12 to 0.59. The findings were maintained 3 months after completion of the program.Conclusions The study provides evidence of the cross-cultural applicability of the principles underlying the Signposts program. As there are long-term repercussions when children's behaviour problems are not dealt with appropriately, such behaviour management programs should be made more available to parents and caregivers.

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