Parent support group helps students balance multiple roles 

New Counseling Center class connects with parenting students 

Jessica Neville

Staff Writer 

A new support group sponsored by the Counseling Center seeks to meet the needs of students who, beyond the commitment of working towards a degree, also have the additional responsibility of fulfilling parenting roles.  

Kristen Lewis, a doctoral student in school psychology, distributed an online survey to graduate students at the University who also have family obligations. The survey asked questions about how well students thought they balanced school and family responsibilities and stress levels, according to Lewis. 

“The results I found indicated that graduate students who are also parents have a great deal of stress and find it difficult to balance work and school roles,” Lewis said. “The survey also asked if students would be interested in a program to help them better fulfill these roles, and over half responded that they would.” 

Lewis shared these results with associate professor of psychology Mary Haskett, who decided to reach out to parenting students by connecting them with the Counseling Center. 

The program the Counseling Center decided to offer, called “Triple P” or “Positive Parenting Program,” is an internationally acclaimed resource for building parenting skills, according to Haskett. Any parenting student of children ages 2 to 12 is invited to participate. 

“The purpose of the program is to provide support and information to parents to help them be the best parents they can be,” Haskett said. “It also helps parents lower stress levels, improve their children’s behavior and increase positive family functioning.” 

Haskett said parents often see their relationship with their children as a job and forget how to have fun with their children, a situation that the program works to remedy. 

Although Triple P is used internationally for all ages, types of parents and family structures, the program is being applied through the Counseling Center specifically for parents who also have the additional stresses of school and/or work. 

Sue Smith, a Triple P co-leader with Haskett, was a graduate student and parent at N.C. State as well as a participant in Triple P. 

“I learned a lot from the Triple P program and I think it is beneficial to any parent, but especially parents who also have to deal with school and work,” Haskett said. 

Erin Robinson, a doctoral student whose dissertation focuses on single mothers in college, said it can be especially hard for mothers to attend school and work because of their expected roles at home. 

“Mothers often times have the role of being the primary caretakers of their children, which can make it extremely difficult if they are going to school at the same time,” Robinson said. “In addition, single mothers usually have to work, which can leave little time for their children.” 

According to Haskett, money is a major source of stress for many student parents. 

“It’s expensive to raise kids as it is, but with the added cost of education it can be difficult,” Haskett said. “Child care is another source of stress, both because of the price and because as a student your schedule may not be consistent.” 

Haskett said she expects students will see the typical outcomes parents who participate in Triple P experience. 

“Students should find their stress levels decrease and they learn better strategies for coping with their children’s behavior,” Haskett said. 

Students are welcome to bring their partners or spouses to the class, although Haskett said research shows Triple P produces the same results with one or two parents attending the class. 

The program will meet for 20 hours over three Saturdays, beginning on March 20. Haskett said she hopes more sessions will be available for students in the future. To contact Haskett for more information, send an e-mail to mary_haskett@ncsu.edu or call (919) 515-1710.