The RETHINK Parenting and Anger Management Program: A Follow‐Up Validation Study*

• Author: Raymond K. Yang,Matthew J. Pettit,Robert J. Fetsch
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3729.2008.00521.x
• Published date: 01 December 2008
• Date: 01 December 2008

The RETHINK Parenting and Anger Management

Program: A Follow-Up Validation Study*

Robert J. Fetsch Raymond K. Yang Matthew J. Pettit**

Abstract: This study is the first follow-up assessment of the RETHINK Parenting and Anger Management Program.

Parent participants (N¼168) reduced their anger, violence, and family conflict levels from posttest to follow-up,

on average, at 2.5 months on 13 of 15 dependent variables. Current findings are consistent with a small, albeit

growing body of literature supporting the efficacy of RETHINK in improving anger management and parenting

skills. When mothers and fathers participate in 6 or 7 weekly RETHINK sessions, they appear to learn the verbal

reasoning skills they need to lower their anger, conflict, and violence levels and the changes persist for at least 2.5

months.

Key Words: anger management, child maltreatment, parent education, parenting program, RETHINK.

Beginning in the 1970s and accelerating in the

1980s was an increased awareness among American

parents about how participating in psychoeduca-

tional programs could improve their parenting skills.

As a result, parent educators and therapeutic profes-

sionals developed a myriad of well-intentioned pro-

grams. Yet, despite these efforts, child abuse as

a result of parental anger continues to be a problem

(Ludwig, 1994; Self-reported frequent mental distress

among adults, 2004; U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth

and Families, 2006). One explanation for the con-

tinued problem of child abuse is the relative absence

of programs with clear empirical evidence of effec-

tiveness at reducing the antecedents of child abuse—

parental anger, conflict, and violence—which de-

fines the purpose of this study. Our own search for

empirical assessments of these programs still

confirms Tramontana, Sherrets, and Authier’s

(1980) admonishment of the parent education com-

munity years ago. Despite the quantity and diversity

of these programs, the empirically established effec-

tiveness of these programs is lacking. The lack of

parent education evaluation is likely because of an

array of factors, including the competitive funding

atmosphere,which encourages these programsto over-

statement to assure sustained funding (Mancini &

Marek, 2004). In other words, the obligation to

ensure funding can supersede the need to actually

demonstrate program effectiveness.

The heart of the therapeutic mantra is exposed

when sincere programs earnestly deployed do not do

the good their creators, fund providers, and facilita-

tors intend. Instead, programs do no lasting good or

they may even cause damage (e.g., Dishion,

McCord, & Poulin, 1999). It is therefore advisable

*The authors acknowledge with appreciation the good work that the extension agents and other professionals did to teach effective RETHINK Parenting and Anger

Management Program workshops and to provide pretest, posttest, and follow-up data for this study. Special appreciation is expressed to Carol Schultz and Margaret

Miller who provided RETHINK Train-the-Trainer training to the professionals who provided useable data for the present study: Brenda Durosinmi, Carol Schultz,

Karen Smith, Carolyn Dekker, Nina Chen, Carolyn Helget, Elaine Sturges, Eileen Wekler, Kathy Dorris, Becky Keller, Leanne Spengler, Beryl Jacobson, Connie

Brousseau, Ginger Erker, Margaret Miller, Roberta Assa, Tish Sammon, Terry Jones, Robyn Painter, Cathy Watson, Vanessa Donley, Marian Moats, Cathy Frantz,

Bob Koreski, Donna Liess, Linda O’Shea, Jill Tingey, Wanda Wilson, Sharon Lippa, and Judy Pierson. The authors also acknowledge and appreciate the literature

review assistance provided by Christina L. Collins.

**Robert J. Fetsch is a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies at Colorado State University, 103A Gifford

Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1570 (fetsch@cahs.colostate.edu). Raymond K. Yang is a professor in the Department of Human Development & Family Studies at

Colorado State University, 107 Gifford Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1570 (yang@cahs.colostate.edu). Matthew J. Pettit is a Marriage & Family Therapy Intern,

Team Two Therapist, Aspen Ranch, P.O. Box 351/44E 100N, Bicknell, UT 84715 (mpettit@theaspenranch.com).

Family Relations, 57 (December 2008), 543–552. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Copyright 2008 No claim to original U.S. government works.

A Publication of

the National Council on

Family Relations