[Strengthening parenting competences through primary prevention: one ounce of prevention weighs more than one pound of therapy]

Upon a clarification of the term and main components of parenting competences, the present contribution first delineates research-focused aspects and various target groups for primary familial prevention. Then, an overview of a selection of preventive measures for German speaking countries aiming at strengthening parental competences is provided for universal prevention programs including available information on the effectiveness of the corresponding programs. Next, an account of some meta-analytic findings and cost-benefit analyses concerning the relevance of parenting programs is presented. Finally, some desiderata concerning the development and evaluation of preventive approaches to strengthening parenting competences are briefly addressed.