Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Early child development and the impact of parenting on later life are of global concern. The rise in child abuse and maltreatment in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">J</jats:styled-content>apan suggests that measures to increase self‐efficacy and reduce stress would benefit <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">J</jats:styled-content>apanese parents. In this study, we explored if <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">J</jats:styled-content>apanese parents attending a 123<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">M</jats:styled-content>agic parenting program reported reduced stress and enhanced self‐efficacy. Questionnaire data were collected from 49 mothers attending a parenting program conducted in public nursery schools in one prefecture in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">J</jats:styled-content>apan. There were significant changes in parenting self‐efficacy scores (<jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">P</jats:styled-content></jats:italic> < 0.001) and parenting stress scores (<jats:italic><jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">P</jats:styled-content></jats:italic> < 0.01). Focus groups with 16 parents also found that there were benefits to parents in terms of increased confidence and less stress. The findings provide support for the role of public health nurses in delivering group‐based parenting support in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">J</jats:styled-content>apan.</jats:p>