Evaluation of the child-parent relationship therapy training program according to the kirkpatrick model

In the study, the Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CRT) program was applied to the parents of first-grade students who were under 72 months old. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the CRT program within the framework of the Kirkpatrick Assessment Model. The study was limited to 60-71 month-old students enrolled in a public primary school in the Western Black Sea Region during the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, and their parents. The study was based on a two-stage process of implementing the CET education program: The first stage involved four weeks of parent training, one session per week; the second stage involved a five-week supervised home-based play session, followed by a final evaluation session. The study was structured using a sequential explanatory design, a type of mixed research design. Quantitative data were collected and analyzed, and the findings were supported by qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, and ANCOVA (Quade method) using SPSS. Qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive and content analysis techniques. The findings are presented in tables. The research results show that the ÇEİT program is highly effective when evaluated within the framework of the four stages of the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model. Participants responded positively to the training and achieved meaningful learning across the dimensions of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Improvements were particularly observed in the skills of structuring, empathic listening, and following the child's leadership; these skills were found to be reflected in daily life and strengthen parent-child interactions. In the outcome dimension, in addition to positive changes in parents' attitudes, significant improvements were also observed in the children's social and emotional development.