Table 1.

Description of required basic skills for group leader

Group leader skill	Purpose	Examples and methods
Validate	Strengthen parents’ confidence in their own ability.	Encourage parents’ work with the ABC: "It sounds like you had a breakthrough moment with ABCD although the time was short, wonderful!"
	Be a model for the parents.	Treat parents emphatically: "It sounds like you’ve had a rough week, no wonder you feel tired."
	Create a permissive atmosphere so that parents dare raise difficulties.	Encourage parents’ responses and contributions.
Activate	Increase participation.	Return questions:
	Maintain the interest of the parents.	1. What are your thoughts about this?
		2. Does anybody else have any comments?
	Encourage activity of the parents when this is desirable.	Wait for the parents’ response. Give them time to think of discussion questions.
	Ensure that everyone gets the same opportunity to talk	Let the parents discuss in small groups.
Structure	Increase clarity.	Start and end the meeting on time.
	Stick to the content of the material and bring the discussion back to the theme.	Write the agenda on the board or flip chart.
		Go through the hits according to group leader material.
		Cancel discussions that drift from the subject and return to contents by thanking for the comments, summarizing and moving on.
		Talk in behavioral terms: “What does Karin do when she is angry?”, “What do you do?”