Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.)

Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) is the name of both a book and a course that were authored by Thomas Gordon, who pioneered the idea that parents need specific knowledge and skills to be effective in their relationships with their children. P.E.T. teaches parents a set of communication and conflict resolution skills for raising their children. The course involves 24 hours of training sessions in a classroom setting with a trained and certified instructor. Since its beginning in 1962 when Gordon taught the first group of parents in a Pasadena cafeteria, this model has become popular worldwide. In addition to spreading across the United States, the course is or has been available in 45 countries around the world. In this entry, the origin, foundation, components, and ...