Contemporary Parenting Research Articles

The involved and responsible outsiders: Norwegian gamer-parents expanding and reinforcing contemporary norms of parenthood

ABSTRACT Gaming is a popular activity among both children and adults. However, research on gaming in a family context often frames gaming as the interest of the child that parents must manage. Because gaming is becoming a more mainstream pastime for parents as well, we need knowledge about the ways gamer-parents position themselves as gamers and parents. Drawing on interviews with 29 Norwegian gamer-parents, we explore how they position themselves and how they assemble parenting. Contemporary parenting norms means engaging in risk-management, and public discourse has framed gaming and screen time as risks that need to be managed. How do gamer-parents position and assemble good parenthood to include gaming? Existing research on families and gaming has given insights into family struggles, dynamics, and mediation within the family. We add to this work by studying how gamer parents position themselves in relationships outside the family to other parents, relevant institutions, and to norms of good parenthood.

Online Discourse and Gender Roles in Parenting: Evidence From Mothering.com Forums

This research investigates the reinforcement and challenge of traditional gender roles in contemporary parenting by analyzing discussion threads from the online forum Mothering.com. Drawing from West and Zimmerman's theory of “doing gender” and Connell and Messerschmidt's gender theory, the study explores how users navigate gender norms in their discussions on parenting. The analysis uncovers a nuanced relationship between adhering to and resisting conventional gender roles. While many participants uphold traditional expectations of mothers as primary caregivers and fathers as breadwinners, there is also notable advocacy for more equitable parenting practices. The results underscore both the persistence of traditional gender norms and a growing movement toward gender equality in family dynamics. This research contributes to understanding about the impact of digital platforms on discussions of gender roles in parenting while offering useful considerations for the changing perceptions about motherhood and fatherhood within the digital age.

Procrastination, Perfectionism, Narcissistic Vulnerability, and Psychological Well-Being in Young Adults: An Italian Study.

Procrastination is generally regarded as a dysfunctional tendency to postpone tasks, due to its consequences on performance and psychological well-being. Previous research has indicated that it is linked to perfectionism and narcissism, but with mixed results. The present study explored the interaction between procrastination, perceived parental expectations, multidimensional perfectionism, and narcissism in a sample of 548 Italian young adults aged 18-35 years (M = 23.9; SD = 4.3). Participants completed an online survey consisting of a sociodemographic questionnaire and psychometric measures assessing the constructs of interest. The results showed that: (a) procrastination was positively correlated with socially prescribed perfectionism only, which, in turn, was positively correlated with perceived parental expectations and criticism, and both narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability; (b) perceived parental expectations and criticism and narcissistic vulnerability had a positive effect on socially prescribed perfectionism, while procrastination had a negative one; and (c) narcissistic vulnerability mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and procrastination. Taken together, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the link between procrastination, perfectionism, and narcissism in young adults, and highlight the relevance of contemporary parenting styles and the current sociocultural background for understanding dilatory behaviors.

Dampak Pola Asuh Fatherless dalam Al-Qur'an: Study Kritis Parenting dalam Kisah Nabi Ya'kub

This research aims to investigate the impact of fatherless parenting as depicted in the Qur'an, especially through the story of the Prophet Ya'qub. The research method used is a critical analysis of parenting practices seen in the narrative of the Koran, with a focus on the role and influence of fathers in shaping the character of their children. This research describes fatherless parenting in the context of the life of the Prophet Ya'qub, who is the central figure in a complex and intriguing family story in the Qur'an. The results of the analysis highlight the various impacts that arise due to the absence of a father figure in the process of forming children's character. One of the main findings is the importance of the father's role as a family leader who provides moral direction and emotional support to children. Father absence can cause emotional instability and internal conflict in children and increase the risk of them falling into negative behavior. Apart from that, this research also explores the Prophet Ya'qub's efforts to overcome the challenges he faced as a single father. An in-depth analysis of the strategies used by the Prophet Ya'qub in raising his children provides valuable insight into the importance of a father's presence and influence in the family. The findings of this research provide an important contribution to our understanding of the importance of fathers' roles in the process of children's character formation, as well as their implications for contemporary parenting practices. The practical implications of this research include a better understanding of fatherless parenting and efforts that can be made to overcome its negative impacts in modern society.

Understanding parents' perceptions of children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing in digital and retail environments

Unhealthy food and non-alcoholic beverage marketing (UFM) adversely impacts children's selection and intake of foods and beverages, undermining parents' efforts to promote healthy eating. Parents' support for restrictions on children’s exposure to food marketing can catalyse government action, yet research describing parent concerns is limited for media other than television. We examined parents' perceptions of UFM and their views on potential policies to address UFM in supermarkets and on digital devices – two settings where children are highly exposed to UFM and where little recent research exists. We conducted in-depth interviews with sixteen parents of children aged 7-12 from Victoria, Australia, analysing the data thematically. Parents perceived UFM as ubiquitous and viewed exposure as having an immediate but temporary impact on children’s food desires and pestering behaviours. Parents were concerned about UFM in supermarkets as they viewed it as leading their children to pester them to buy marketed products, undermining their efforts to instil healthy eating behaviours. Parents generally accepted UFM as an aspect of contemporary parenting. Concern for digital UFM was lower compared to supermarkets as it was not directly linked to pestering and parents had limited awareness of what their children saw online. Nevertheless, parents felt strongly that companies should not be allowed to target their children with UFM online and supported government intervention to protect their children. While parents supported government policy actions for healthier supermarket environments, their views towards restricting UFM in supermarkets varied as some parents felt it was their responsibility to mitigate supermarket marketing. These findings could be used to advocate for policy action in this area.

Parenting problems in the digital age and their solution development in the frame of value education

In the contemporary digital era, children are increasingly influenced by a plethora of digital elements, such as social media platforms, which often lead to the erosion of their time, character, and innovative capacities. This study delves into the intricate dynamics of Islamic parenting within the digital landscape, shedding light on the inherent challenges it presents and advocating for the application of Islamic educational principles as a robust solution framework. Employing qualitative methodologies, the research meticulously examines the hurdles faced by parents in navigating the complexities of modern-day parenting. By aligning with Islamic educational values, the study delineates effective strategies for parents to surmount these challenges, thereby fostering a nurturing environment conducive to the holistic development of children. Through comprehensive analysis and empirical insights, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between contemporary parenting dilemmas and the timeless wisdom encapsulated in Islamic educational principles, offering practical pathways for parents to navigate the digital age with resilience and purpose.

‘Every day we’d have an arranged activity, so she’d have football, swimming, dance, gymnastics’: A sociological analysis of parenting and sports-based enrichment activities for the under-fives

In this article we provide a sociological analysis of parental choice in pre-school sports and physical activity, as a form of concerted cultivation, to understand the uptake of sports-based physical activity (PA) enrichment activities in England. Despite a growth in the under-five pre-school enrichment market, little is known about why parents pay for their under-five child(ren) to participate in sport and/or PA enrichment or how this relates to wider patterns seen in contemporary parenting. 24 semi-structured interviews with parents of early years children from across England were conducted. Findings suggest the reasons why parents enrol their child(ren) in sports-based enrichment activities can be considered a form of concerted cultivation. In particular, parents value routine and socialisation for themselves and their children. Parents look for paid-for activities that enhance their child's social and academic skills but do not emphasise the health benefits of being physically active as important in their decision making. Instead, they prioritise opportunities to enhance their child's social and cultural skills in ways that enable the child(ren) to be accepted and interact positively with adults and other children in key institutional settings. Parents also valued spaces where their young child(ren) could expend energy, although the importance of this was distinctly gendered. We conclude by outlining that paying for under-fives sport-based enrichment is linked to wider social and cultural expectations on parenting, and highlighting that more needs to be understood about the gendered, racialised and ableist spaces of commercial pre-school sport and PA.

Parents as psychological coaches

ABSTRACT In this article, we argue that contemporary parenting ideals are characterised by labour-intensive introspective emotional work akin to the techniques used by psychological coaches. We situate these ideals of contemporary parenting in an emotionalized culture that focuses on the production of happy, thriving children that is simultaneously linked to the production of moral subjectivities. We analyse examples from contemporary Danish parenting literature and explore how these ideals of parenting promises both wellbeing and future life success of children. However, we argue that the ideal of parents as psychological coaches exacerbates the demands of emotional labour on parents, consolidates the individualized responsibilisation of parents for the future success of their children, creates a reification of the self and overlooks ethical and existential questions rooted in pedagogical approaches to upbringing.

A Qualitative Analysis of Beliefs about Masculinity and Gender Socialization among US Mothers and Fathers of School-Age Boys.

Internalization of culturally dominant masculine gender role norms can have harmful impacts on the physical and emotional health of men and boys. Although parents play an important role in influencing gender-related beliefs in their children, limited research has examined how contemporary parents conceptualize masculinity and their role in gender socialization. The current study conducted 13 focus groups with Black, Latino, and White parents (N = 83) of school-age boys from rural and urban areas in a large southeastern state in the US. Parent beliefs about masculinity existed across a spectrum from "rigid" (representing narrow, culturally dominant masculine norms) to "flexible" (defining a broader set of behaviors and attitudes as masculine). In general, more flexible beliefs were expressed by mothers than fathers, and by White than Black and Latino parents. Most parents reacted positively to messages about potential harms associated with restrictive masculinity norms; however, many saw these issues primarily as parenting challenges (e.g., teaching boys to resist negative peer influences) rather than related to gender socialization. Some unique themes also emerged within racial/ethnic groups, with Black parents noting the impact of racial discrimination on societal expectations for Black men and fathers, and Latino parents describing generational shifts towards more equitable gender role attitudes and parenting practices. These findings highlight the need for more complex and nuanced messages about masculinity norms and their relationship to health and well-being and can help inform the development of interventions to promote healthy masculine gender socialization, increase health equity, and prevent injury and violence.

The Relations Between Parents’ Gender Equality Values and (co)parenting: Examining Actor-Partner Effects in an Australian Community Sample

In most Western societies, parents’ gender roles and values have shifted significantly over the past decades. However, it is not yet clear whether parents’ gender-related values impact both their own and their partners’ coparenting and parenting practices. This study examined the relations between parents’ gender equality values, their coparenting, and parental warmth and hostility. Drawing 6745 families from an ongoing Australian panel study, we used actor-partner interdependence modeling to estimate the associations between mothers’ and fathers’ equality values and their (co)parenting. Results revealed a significant positive partner effect of mothers’ gender equality values on fathers’ warmth and coparenting, but no significant actor effects for mothers’ or fathers’ values. We also found that mothers’ work status moderated the relationship between parents’ values and coparenting. In conclusion, these findings suggest that it is important to consider mothers’ gender values and its transactional influence on fathers’ involvement for understanding contemporary parenting.

“Doing Being a Father”: Ethnographic Perspectives on Intimate Fathering as Identity Work in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract: This article looks at fatherhood and fathering as performative practices. Based on ethnographic fieldwork among middle-class fathers in urban Côte d’Ivoire, it explores intimate fathering as both an exceptional practice and a reinterpretation of hegemonic masculinities. Intimate fathering offers an alternative way of living for Ivorian men, who use it to renegotiate and reevaluate gender roles and relations between nuclear and extended families and to craft imaginaries of father-child relationships that differ greatly from their own experiences as children. I address here two blind spots in the study of contemporary parenting in Africa: paternal performances of care, often neglected in the literature in favor of mothering, and the dominant discourse of African fatherhood in crisis, highlighting a more nuanced view of engaged fatherhood.

The Swedish version of the Alabama parenting questionnaire: Psychometric evaluation and norm data.

The Alabama parenting questionnaire (APQ) is a commonly used instrument for assessing parenting practices and evaluating treatment outcomes of parent-training interventions targeting child conduct problems. In the present study we translated and developed a Swedish version of the APQ parent version and tested it on a community sample of 799 parents of children between 6 and 15 years with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Data were collected through an online survey distributed through school newsletters and social media. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) suggested a five-factor model with 23 items. Four of these factors correspond to the subscales suggested in the original version of the APQ: inconsistent discipline, poor monitoring, involvement, and positive parenting. The fifth subscale from the original APQ, corporal punishment, did not show up as a factor in our data sample. Instead, a new factor, which we refer to as contingency management, was revealed. A confirmatory factor analysis further suggested some misalignment between the original APQ subscale structure and our sample, which we interpret as a signal that the instrument may need refinement to better reflect contemporary parenting methods in diverse cultural contexts. Despite this limitation, and with the exclusion of the corporal punishment subscale, which should be employed judiciously, our results suggest that the Swedish version of the APQ can be a useful instrument in measuring parenting practices in Sweden. We present norm data stratified by child age, which practitioners and researchers can use as a reference for assessment of parenting practices in the Swedish population.

Interplay between Tradition and Modernity: Stress and Coping Experiences among Parents of Children with Autism in Beijing, China.

In traditional Chinese culture, specific beliefs and values can influence parents' experiences of stress and coping while raising children with autism. However, as China undergoes rapid social changes amid globalization, are these cultural influences still significant for today's parents of young children with autism? This study delves into this question through 12 in-depth interviews with parents of children with autism in Beijing. Content analysis indicated that while influences from traditional culture remain, modern parents often diverge from them. They adopt Western views on autism to mitigate stigma, establish boundaries with grandparents to ensure effective early interventions, address imbalanced professional dynamics, adjust authoritarian parenting styles, and broaden their social networks. A mix of traditional and contemporary parenting characterizes their experiences. The discussion elaborates on the findings, emphasizing the importance of family support.

Contemporary Parenting Behaviors and Attitude Toward Learning: Basis for Academic Enhancement Program

To address the high percentage of low-performing Filipino learners, as the the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) revealed, the research investigated the relationship between the level of contemporary parenting behaviors and the level of attitude towards learning Grade 7 students and parents. Through this, the Filipino learners' poor academic performance outcomes in PISA 2018 may be addressed by proposing and implementing an effective academic enhancement program. A total of 284 adolescents and parents, selected at random, participated by answering the two adopted standardized questionnaires, and the model was analyzed and evaluated using Mean, Parenting Behaviors and Dimensions Questionnaire and Attitude toward Learning Scale, T-test for independence and Pearson-Product Moment Correlation. The results revealed that emotional warmth, anxious intrusiveness, and democratic discipline were practised more often than punitive, permissive, and autonomy support. Moreover, students showed a favourable attitude toward the nature of learning and expectations from learning. On the other hand, their attitudes toward openness to learning and anxiety about learning were observed to need improvement. In addition, the results showed a significant difference between the assessments of the Grade 7 students and their parents. It was also revealed that there is a significant relationship between contemporary parenting behaviors and attitudes toward learning. An Academic Enhancement Program was developed to address the problems and concerns observed and help the students with their academic endeavours.

“What Can I Do to Not Have This Life”? A Qualitative Study of Paternal Postnatal Depression Experiences among Fathers in the United Kingdom

Understandings of paternal postnatal depression (PND) in fathers from the United Kingdom (UK) have received limited attention, particularly in view of changing dynamics of contemporary parenthood. To rectify this, eight UK fathers with PND took part in one-to-one interviews, with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis used to understand their lived experiences. Our findings demonstrate that UK fathers with PND experienced extremely distressing emotions, including anger and misery, after their babies are born. Their working practices were highly relevant to their fatherhood, with working considered a key responsibility and a source of stress, but also a “legitimate” escape from the home. Fathers’ relationships with their partners were experienced as less intimate and conflicted. Fathers often hid their feelings to protect their partners, but also reported their partners as being aware of their challenging and difficult emotions. Healthcare providers should be professionally curious about fathers’ mental health and consider the assistance of mothers in identifying cases of paternal PND.

Role of Parenting in Anorexic Vulnerability among Adolescents in Indian Scenario

Purpose: The present research article explores the challenges faced by parents in today's generation regarding the practice of parenting and its influence on the moral development of children during early childhood. However, with the advent of globalization and societal transformations, modern families are experiencing shifts that result in new parents struggling to find adequate time to spend with their children. This scenario has led to the emergence of various behavioral and psychological issues among today's generation, with vulnerability to anorexia nervosa being one of the notable abnormalities. This article aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the impact of parenting practices on moral development while considering the challenges faced by contemporary parents in allocating sufficient time to their children. Methodology Adopted: This article has followed narrative review format to know the subject matter in detail. This review attempts to do an analysis on the role of parenting in anorexic vulnerability among adolescents and the different socio-familial factors that contributes in the development of the disorder. The data is enumerated through electronic search and since the literature on this area is rare in Indian context, all types of research studies have been included. The electronic search included SCOPUS, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and MEDLINE. Findings: Based on the theoretical framework adopted for the study, it was found that there is a remarkable influence of parental styles and parental bonding on the behavioural issues of adolescents. It was also much evident that Parenting and familial factors have a great impact on the anorexic vulnerability of Indian adolescent girls. Originality/ Value: A new understanding can be built up among Indian parents regarding the behavioural and emotional issues of adolescents with regard to parenting style and parenting attachment patterns. Paper Type: Narrative Review Format

Work Gains and Strains on Father Involvement: The Mediating Role of Parenting Styles.

The balance between work and family demands is one of the main challenges of contemporary parenting. However, most of the research has focused on mothers' perspectives, with fathers' perspectives about the links between work-family activities and father involvement, as well as the role of indirect effects, such as parenting styles, being less explored. This study aims to bridge these gaps by exploring whether work strains or gains are related to father involvement in childcare and the mediating role of parental styles, focusing on fathers' reports. Working, married fathers of preschoolers (n = 411) self-reported about work strains and gains, parental styles, and father involvement. Structural equation modeling, using maximum-likelihood estimation, provided good fit indices. Results of the bootstrap analysis revealed how fathers' gains indirectly increased involvement both in direct and indirect care through positive parental styles. Otherwise, fathers' strains at work had a negative indirect effect on direct care through negative parental styles. Findings contribute to work-family interface by showing how parental styles account for mediating environmental challenges on father involvement.

Pseudoscience in the context of contemporary parenting

Rad se bavi antivakcinacijskim pseudoznanstvenim sadržajima na forumima na hrvatskom jeziku s temom cijepljenja djece. Cilj istraživanja bio je analizirati karakteristike pseudoznanstvenih sadržaja na forumima, grupne dinamike među sudionicima foruma i roditeljstva. Provedena je kvalitativna analiza sadržaja u periodu od 15. lipnja do 19. kolovoza 2019. godine na forumima missMAMA, roda.hr, Roditelji.hr i forum.hr te je analizirano ukupno 9205 komentara. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da su glavna obilježja foruma pseudoznanstveni razlozi za odbijanje ili neodlučnost u vezi s cijepljenjem djece, istaknutost afektivne dimenzije grupnih interakcija, rodne razlike u pristupu temi cijepljenja djece i roditeljstvo kao krajnji argument za (ne)cijepljenje djece. Analiza je pokazala da su pseudoznanstveni razlozi za odbijanje ili neodlučnost u vezi s cijepljenjem djece zadiranje u osobna ljudska prava, doživljaj cijepljenja kao neprirodnog, nepovjerenje u farmaceutsku industriju, stručnjake i regulatorna tijela, anegdotalni primjeri posljedica cijepljenja, bezopasnost bolesti te osobna svjedočanstva i poznate osobe kao specifični izvori informiranja. Ustanovljeno je da je afektivna dimenzija rasprava na forumima njihovo ključno obilježje, bilo da je riječ o interakcijama u kojima prevladavaju konflikti ili grupna podrška i empatija. Na forumima postoje rodne razlike u praksama sudjelovanja i raspravljanja. Dok žene na forumima prvenstveno sudjeluju s ciljem pronalaženja ili davanja podrške tijekom postupka cijepljenja djeteta, sudjelovanje muškaraca prije svega je usmjereno na raspravu o pseudoznanstvenim tezama o cijepljenju djece. Roditeljstvo se pokazalo sveobuhvatnim okvirom unutar kojeg se odvijaju sve rasprave, a individualizacija društvene odgovornosti, norma intenzivnog roditeljstva i ideologija naturalizma oblikuju roditeljske stavove, osjećaje i prakse u vezi cijepljenja djece.

Individualization and contemporary fatherhood

Objective: This article explores dilemmas related to contemporary fatherhood and discusses how theories of individualization enable the understanding of social change and family life. Background: Theories on modernization argue that ongoing processes of individualization challenge researchers to reinvent key concepts in family sociology. The concept of intimate fatherhood allows for the exploration of men’s family practices and presents a basis for understanding what modernization means for contemporary parenthood. Intimate fatherhood can be further theorized through empirically sensitive approaches in the study of everyday family life. Method: Drawing on data from a mixed-method longitudinal study comprising four waves of data from the 1968 cohort in Denmark (n = 1,414), the study analyzes qualitative interviews from the second and fourth waves. Social psychological discourse analysis of the interviews is used to explore the participants' family practices. Results: The analysis examines how caring intimacy in contemporary fatherhood is interwoven in a complex entanglement with other positions related to partnering and provision. Individualization is theorized as a mode of orientation in life with reference to oneself but not counterposed to social ties and family practices signified by solidarity and togetherness. Conclusion: Individualization theory can guide analytical attention when examining contemporary fatherhood, but such analyses must remain sensitive to the complex entanglement of everyday family life.

Current Parents and Children's Leisure Time

This paper presents research focused on investigating contemporary parents and selected aspects of their influence on children's leisure time, emphasizing how and to what extent parents organize their children's leisure time. Parents from different regions of Slovakia participated in the research, and we processed the results using descriptive statistics. For comparison, we used the Student T-test, Mann-Whitney Test (for comparing two groups), and Kruskal-Wallis Test (for comparing three or more groups). The research showed that respondents judge current parenting as different and significantly more challenging compared to the past. They perceive differences in the sphere of leisure time of families, especially in the fact that parents give fewer responsibilities to children than the previous generation of parents. The research also shows that the problem of contemporary families is the absence of time spent together by parents and children, the absence of family communication, and the high level of organization of children's leisure time by parents. The authors point out that parents in a postmodern society have to deal with the difficulties of ensuring the family's economic stability, which is why two-career marriages are a reality in contemporary families. It has been proven that today's parents are busier with work and are more engaged outside the family, as a result of which they spend less time with their children, which negatively affects their upbringing, there is a lack of quality family communication, and children feel lonely and deprived of parental attention. It was also found that in the modern family, students are involved in housework much less than in the past, so they mostly have no experience of work in this aspect. It is emphasized that the compensation of parental influence with other means of education - media, technology (smartphones, tablets, computers), and the virtual world (social networks) is alarming. The decline in the development of reading interests in the family is outlined, and the tendency of parents to replace the joint reading of children's books with modern technologies is revealed.