Differences In Parental Beliefs Research Articles

My School District Isn’t Segregated: Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Information on Parental Preferences Regarding School Segregation

U.S. public schools are increasingly segregated by income, resulting in substantial educational inequality among U.S. schoolchildren. We conducted a nationally representative survey to explore the relationship between parental beliefs about and preferences regarding school segregation. Using experimental manipulation, we tested if learning about levels of school segregation in their local school district affects a parent’s attitudes and preferences regarding school segregation. In doing so, our study helps elucidate whether disagreement with respect to segregation-reducing policies stems from differences in parental beliefs about the extent of segregation in their district or from differences in parental preferences given existing levels of segregation. We found that parents hold largely inaccurate beliefs about local segregation levels and underestimate, on average, the economic segregation in their district. However, information treatments that correct inaccurate beliefs do little to influence support for policies to reduce segregation.

It All Starts with Beliefs: Addressing the Roots of Educational Inequities by Shifting Parental Beliefs

Socioeconomic inequalities in child development crystallize at early stages, with associated disparities in parental investment in children. A key to understanding the data patterns is to document the sources underlying the observed inequalities. We first show that there are dramatic differences in parental beliefs across socioeconomic backgrounds (SES), with parents of higher SES being more likely to believe that parental investments impact child development. We then use two field experiments targeted to low-SES families to explore the mutability of such beliefs and their link to parental investments. In both cases, we find that parental beliefs about child development are malleable. The less intensive version of the program based on educational videos changes parental beliefs, but fails to lastingly increase parental investments and child outcomes. By contrast, in the more intensive version of our program combining home visits and feedback, the augmented beliefs are associated with enriched parent-child interactions and improved vocabulary, math, and social-emotional skills for the children. Together, these results suggest that changing parental beliefs can be an important pathway to raising parental investments and reducing socioeconomic gaps in children’s skills, but that simple informational policies may not be sufficient.

Parenting and Child Anxiety: The Role of Country of Birth and Acculturation in Indian-born Migrants to Australia Relative to Native-born Australians

This study investigated the differences in parental beliefs about anxiety and parenting styles in Indian- and Australian-born mothers in Australia and whether these differentially related to child anxiety depending on maternal background and acculturation. 51 mother-child dyads from Sydney participated, consisting of Indian- or Australian-born mothers and their 8–12-year-old child. Mothers completed measures of their anxiety, their child’s anxiety, their beliefs about their child’s anxiety and their bi-dimensional acculturation (if Indian), i.e., an assessment of immersion into both Australian and native culture. Children completed a self-report of anxiety and a measure of their mother’s parenting style. Indian mothers scored significantly higher on anxious rearing and negative beliefs about anxiety than Australian-born mothers. Moderated regression analysis revealed that Country of Birth did not significantly moderate the relationship between parenting and child anxiety, but acculturation did. Amongst mothers reporting low Indian cultural retention, negative beliefs about child anxiety and anxious rearing positively related to child anxiety. These relationships were reversed amongst mothers reporting high Indian cultural retention. Amongst mothers reporting high Australian cultural identification, emotional warmth negatively related to child anxiety; this was reversed for low Australian cultural identification. Results highlight the importance of considering acculturation, specifically as a bi-dimensional construct, rather than COB when examining anxious behaviours and attitudes in migrants. Findings suggest that cultural adaptation of family treatment should look beyond COB and consider within-group differences in acculturative attitudes and status.

Cross-cultural differences in parental beliefs about infant motor development: A quantitative and qualitative report of middle-class Israeli and Dutch parents.

The present study explored cultural differences in parental beliefs about motor development across 2 Western cultures: Israel and the Netherlands. Can 2 cultural models be distinguished regarding infant motor development in Israel and the Netherlands or are parental beliefs about motor development similar across these cultures? Using a questionnaire containing closed and open questions, beliefs of 206 Israeli and 198 Dutch parents of first-born children between 2 and 7 months old were analyzed. Based on both quantitative and qualitative analyses, distinct cultural models were found showing that the Dutch attributed a bigger role to maturation and children's own pace than to stimulation. The Israeli parents found stimulation of motor development important and discussed active stimulation more elaborately. When discussing supportive activities, the Israeli parents mentioned specific activities, whereas the Dutch parents used more general, vague expressions about support. Moreover, the Israeli parents discussed the need for expert advice and advice from relatives and other parents more than the Dutch parents, who rely on their own observations, books, or websites more often. The cultural background was the strongest predictor of parental beliefs about motor development. Parental education, age, children's birth weight, gender, and having seen a physical therapist showed weaker relations with parental beliefs. Altogether, 2 distinguishing cultural models can be found, raising the question whether infant motor development can be approached similarly across Western cultures. Besides this implication for science, practitioners should also be aware of differences between cultures and between parents. (PsycINFO Database Record

Early Indication of Reading Difficulty? A Descriptive Analysis of Emergent Literacy Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this pilot study, we describe emergent literacy skills and factors related to literacy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 38 parents and their children ( n = 18 with ASD; n = 20 typically developing) participated in this study. Our analyses revealed great variability in emergent literacy performance across the ASD sample, with many children demonstrating strengths in code-focused skills combined with difficulties with focused-meaning skills. Moderate to strong correlations were found between emergent literacy skills and indices of communication and cognition for the children with ASD. Although we did not detect overall group differences in parental beliefs related to literacy, moderate to robust relationships were identified between parental attitudes about literacy and various child developmental indices. Implications for the nature and timing of intervention and future research directions are discussed in light of these findings.

Taiwanese Parents’ Beliefs Regarding Young Children’s Art Education and the Actual Art Achievements of Children

The research goal is to ascertain the current beliefs of the parents of preschool children regarding art education in Taiwan. Background factors on the parents were tested to show the differences between the parents’ beliefs regarding art education and the actual art achievements of the children. From there, relationships between the beliefs and the actual achievements were analyzed and established. The researcher prepared the self-completion survey and distributed 300 copies to parents; 267 copies were returned with an effective return rate of 92.87%.The findings were as follows: I. Preschool parents viewed children’s art education from four aspects–children’s artistic development, children’s art courses, parental art beliefs, and teachers’ professionalism in art. II. Differences in the art education beliefs of preschool parents with different background factors: A. Parents from different types of preschools show significant differences in terms of the children’s art curriculum. B. Parents’ gender shows significant differences toward their beliefs regarding art education. C. Parents’ education shows significance differences in the dimension of children’s art courses. D. The location of the family residence shows significant differences in parental beliefs regarding art education. III. Differences in children’s achievements in art education depend on the different background factors of the preschool parents: A. The location of the family residence shows significant differences in children’s art satisfaction. IV. Parental approval of children’s learning outcomes is in direct proportion to preschool parental beliefs regarding art education. V. Preschool parental beliefs regarding art education are predictive of children’s learning outcomes, especially in the area of children’s art courses.

CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISONS OF PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOURS RELATED TO CHILD SAFETY

BackgroundAs the documentary film Babies illustrates, children worldwide reach developmental milestones at roughly the same time. Yet rates of childhood injury morbidity and mortality differ vastly from country to country....

Intergenerational Beliefs of Mothers and Grandmothers regarding Early Childhood Stimulation in (Rural) Jammu, India

The present research was conducted to study the intergenerational differences in parental beliefs of the Lobana community in the rural district of Jammu in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. The sample comprised 30 mothers and 30 grandmothers, selected from the R.S. Pura tehsil of the Jammu district. Data was collected using a modified parental belief survey. The results reveal that the majority of the mothers were educated and had studied to the higher secondary level, while the majority of the grandmothers were illiterate. The mothers' and grandmothers' views reported from the modified parental belief survey demonstrate a varied perception between the two groups. There was a difference between views expressed about spoiling a child, floor freedom, and discipline and control. The importance of storytelling was emphasised by the grandmothers.

Beliefs about the appropriate age for initiating toilet training: Are there racial and socioeconomic differences?

To examine racial and socioeconomic differences in parental beliefs about the appropriate age at which to initiate toilet training. A cross-sectional survey of 779 parents visiting child health providers in 3 clinical sites in Washington, DC and the surrounding metropolitan area completed a self-report survey. The main outcome variable was parental beliefs about the appropriate age at which to initiate toilet training. Using multiple linear regression, differences in beliefs were assessed in relation to race, family income, parental education, parental age, and age of the oldest and youngest children. Among respondents, parents felt that the average age at which toilet training should be initiated was 20.6 months (+/-7.6 months), with a range of 6 to 48 months. Caucasian parents believed that toilet training should be initiated at a significantly later age (25.4 months) compared with both African-American parents (18.2 months) and parents of other races (19.4 months). In the multiple regression model, factors predicting belief in when to initiate toilet training were Caucasian race and higher income. Race and income were independent predictors of belief in age at which to initiate toilet training. More research is needed to determine what factors contribute to toilet training practices in diverse populations.

Parental Beliefs About the Causes of Child Problems: Exploring Racial/Ethnic Patterns

To examine racial/ethnic patterns of parental beliefs about etiological explanations for youth problems. The parents of 1338 youths with identified mental health problems were asked about their beliefs about the causes for their children's problems from a questionnaire with 11 etiological categories. Parents of African American, Asian/Pacific Islander American, and Latino youths were generally less likely than parents of non-Hispanic whites to endorse etiologies consistent with biopsychosocial beliefs about mental illness. Some racial/ethnic differences were evident for sociological causes, but none existed for spiritual or nature disharmony etiologies. Analyses controlling for factors including child symptomatology produced fewer significant racial/ethnic differences but a similar pattern of results. Racial/ethnic differences in parental beliefs about the causes of child problems exist in an at-risk sample, and implications for the help-seeking, utilization, and effectiveness of biopsychosocially oriented mental health services for diverse populations are discussed.

Parental Beliefs about School Learning and Children's Educational Attainment: Evidence from Rural China

This study investigated Chinese parents' beliefs about school learning and how they were reflected in rural family settings. Participants were 13 families, with eight high‐ and five low‐achieving children enrolled in Primary 3. Home observations and interviews were conducted on three separate occasions. Findings indicated that all parents focused on the pragmatic value of school learning and equated schooling with language and literacy acquisition. They believed that effort was important for explaining children's academic performance but recognized the limits placed by innate ability and environmental conditions. There were no consistent differences in parental beliefs based on children's level of attainment, but parents of high‐achieving children tended to be better educated and more knowledgeable about their children's performance and provided more educationally supportive home environments than other parents. Parents had different expectations of boys and girls, reflecting traditional gender stereotypes. Contextual influences on parental beliefs about education are discussed.