PEEM Frequently Asked Questions

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The Parent Empowerment and Efficacy Measure is a strengths-based tool for understanding caregivers’ sense of confidence in their parenting role.

It uses a 10-point rating scale to collect responses to 20 positively worded items.
It yields a Total Efficacy Score and two subscale scores (Efficacy To Parent; and Efficacy to Connect).

Yes: The Parent Empowerment and Efficacy Measure was developed as part of a collaboration between researchers at Griffith University and practitioners at the Pathways Family Support service. Family support was a major component of the 10-year Pathways to Prevention Project that brought together partners from the university, government, non-government, and school sectors, and operated in a community where many families experienced high levels of social and economic stress.

Follow this link http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2014.902980 to see an article published in the journal Australian Social Work that describes the development, validation and psychometric properties of the PEEM measurement tool.

The PEEM is for use with parents / carers of pre-school and primary-school-aged children (ie parents of toddlers to tweens).

The PEEM is a short and practical measure (20 items) that can be completed using either a paper and pencil form, or an online version called A Parent’s Voice.

Advantages of A Parent’s Voice/PEEM Online

  • Attractive audio-visual format provides an engaging experience.
  • Audio features alleviate discomfort for respondents who struggle with reading. A Parent’s Voice makes few demands on literacy skills since voice overs allow respondents to listen to the questions presented in spoken form.
  • Automatic score calculation: The system applies a failsafe algorithm to generate a Total Efficacy Score and 2 Subscale Scores from the responses parents provide to the 20 questions. This saves practitioner time and eliminates error.
  • Online administration facilitates organisational record keeping and data management:
    • A Participant List is generated cumulatively as the registered Account Holder adds parents to their account via their User Dashboard. This expedites the process of checking whether data have been collected for clients by practitioners at your agency;
    • Responses are saved to a secure database associated with each registered user’s password-protected account
    • Users can download the results for individual, selected groups, or all of their clients in a spreadsheet format that makes data management and analysis for the purpose of program planning and program review easy.

The PEEM was designed for use by practitioners in family support services. It can help parents and professionals as they work together to strengthen caregivers’ confidence with parenting. It is also a useful tool for program or service evaluation.

With only 20 questions, the PEEM scale itself does not take long to complete. However, thoughtful responses should be encouraged by emphasising that there is no need to rush and by reassuring respondents that the more considered and sincere their answers, the more meaningful and productive the journey of support and empowerment that you take together can be.

Yes – Data can be collected with A Parents Voice in field settings using your organisation’s portable devices (ipads or laptops) as long as an internet connection is available. If not – you can use the paper form and transfer the responses to your account’s database manually through a feature on the Parent’s Voice User Dashboard.

You can register to use PEEM Online via the RealWell website

Cost is based on the size of your organisation and potential number of participants to be included.

The responses are saved to your secure account. The dashboard functions enable you to view responses online, or download your data in spreadsheet format.

Yes. Technical support for registered Parent’s Voice account holders is provided via an online support function built into their User Dashboard.

WHAT – The PEEM is a strengths-based measurement tool that provides information about caregivers’ sense of control or capacity to confidently face the challenges of being a parent
WHO – It is for use with parents / carers of pre-prep and primary school aged children
WHY – The PEEM can help parents and professionals as they work together to strengthen caregivers’ confidence with parenting. It is a useful tool for program planning and service evaluation.
HOW – It is a short and practical measurement tool that can be completed using either a paper and pencil version or the online system