Date of Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Completion
2026
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Ololade Bello; Dr. Nancy Crider
Abstract
Purpose
This quality improvement (QI) project developed and implemented an evidence-informed group parenting curriculum, The Parenting Hub: Mindful Moments (TPHMM), at an urban youth shelter, aiming to increase parental self-efficacy by 20% and decrease parental stress by 20% among homeless parenting youth.
Background
Nearly half (49%) of 18–24-year-olds in families experiencing homelessness are parents, often facing low parenting confidence, limited support, and high stress. The project site, serving up to 150 youths, with a fluctuating number of young parents, lacked a standardized parenting curriculum.
Methodology
This pre-/post-test QI pilot used the Model for Improvement; Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles refined delivery in the shelter’s dynamic environment. Over seven weeks (January–March 2026), four parenting youths (ages 20–24) attended instructor-led sessions grounded in Bandura’s social learning theory. Outcome measures were the Brief Parental Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSES) and Parental Stress Scale (PSS); process measures were attendance and session evaluations.
Results
Neither aim was met; analyses were limited to descriptive statistics (N = 4). Parental stress improved (mean PSS 2.2 to 2.0); 75% reported less stress, and all scores remained low (< 3.0). Mean self-efficacy declined (BPSES 4.6 to 4.2), driven by one participant whose score fell from the scale maximum; 75% maintained identical scores. This pattern is consistent with a ceiling effect (baseline 4.6/5.0) and response-shift bias. Attendance was 81%, with high satisfaction.
Implications
The curriculum proved feasible and well received; an instructor’s guide and staff-led reminders support sustainability. TPHMM offers a replicable model for shelter-based parenting support and an upstream nursing role: strengthening parenting capacity may reduce adverse childhood experiences.
Keywords
parenting program, homeless youth, parental self-efficacy, parenting stress, quality improvement
Recommended Citation
Liam Jerez, "Improving Parental Self-Efficacy and Stress Management Among Parenting Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Development and Implementation of a Standardized Group Parenting Curriculum at an Urban Homeless Shelter" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract. 240.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dnp_abstract/240