Table 1.

Program Description of Mission Possible: Parents and Kids Who Listen

Session	Name	Goals	Concepts Taught in Training Sessions	Circumplex Model of Family Systems/Social Problem Solving Theory
1	Developmental Changes	Enhance parents’ and youths’ understanding of growth/development between themselves and others	Using role play, physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes are addressed, as is how these changes affect communication.	Adaptability and Cohesion
2	Effects of Self-Esteem	Familiarize parents and youth with the theory and concepts of self-esteem.	Parenting styles are introduced. Fundamental issues of open communication are introduced, including the transmission and reception of meaning, communication as behavior, and the relationship between behaviors of interacting individuals. Through vignettes, parent and youth learn how communication approaches and parenting styles can result in feelings about one’s self.	Communication
3	Getting What You Want	Address concept of emotional inheritance and learn the skill of clear and assertive expressions of expectations, values, feelings, caring, and needs.	Problem ownership is demonstrated. The sensing-thinking-feeling-wanting-doing paradigm for becoming aware of one’s part in a relationship is taught and return demonstrated. Methods for re-channeling feelings are explored. Communicating needs and wants is viewed as a life skill transferable to many situations. "I-messages" as a confrontation skill are introduced. Using parents' and youths’ examples, problem identification and ownership is discussed.	Communication
4	Listening to What the Other Wants	Enhance parents’ and youths’ awareness of open and closed communication and facilitate identification and feeling of blocked communication.	5 basic listening skills are introduced: nurturing, supporting, comforting, guiding, and enabling. Communication theory is taught (codes, feedback, affirmation and denial). Further exercises in confrontation, listening, and in approaching difficult topics are demonstrated.	Communication
5	Solving Conflicts So Everyone Wins	Facilitate parents’ and youths’ awareness of their patterns of communicating during conflicts and enhance parents and youths abilities to resolve conflicts.	6 Steps to conflict resolution: defining a problem, identifying possible solutions, evaluating the possible solutions, choosing a solution, implementing the solution, and evaluating the implemented solution. Situations of conflict illustrating differences between parent’s values and expectations and youth behavior and autonomy are coached and modeled. Negotiation, autonomy, and connection are stressed.	Communication Problem solving
6	Celebrating and Letting Go	Enhance parents’ and youths’ abilities to be successful in their relationships, increase their awareness of mutual psychosocial needs, and facilitate parents’ ability to allow the youth to connect and separate.	Needs for achievement, satisfaction, and opportunities to follow and lead are addressed. Responsibility, relationships, discipline, and appreciation are emphasized within a paradigm of allowing expression and experimentation with a number of roles and behaviors.	Adaptability and Cohesion
7	Booster Session	Illustrate how communication supports the development of self-esteem	Review the concepts of self-esteem, active listening, and the awareness wheel.	Communication