Early Parental Support Research Articles

Parental Involvement and Mental Well-Being of Chinese International Students

This research examines the impact of parental involvement during elementary school on the mental well-being of Chinese international college students. It aims to uncover how early parental support influences mental health as these students navigate the challenges of higher education abroad. The study highlights that while parental involvement can enhance academic performance, self-esteem, and social skills, its long-term effects on international students remain underexplored. By using a mixed-methods approach with data from 200 Chinese students at Johns Hopkins University and qualitative interviews, the study seeks to identify which forms of involvementsuch as direct academic support, emotional support, and extracurricular engagementare most beneficial or detrimental to mental well-being. The findings are expected to provide insights for educators, parents, and policymakers to develop culturally sensitive support systems that enhance both academic success and mental health for international students.

Advancing Parent and Newborn Health Outcomes Through Community-Based Collaboration: A Somerville-Tufts University Partnership

This manuscript is based on Project INSPIRE: Improving New Somerville Parent & Infant Resiliency & Engagement, a healthcare and early childcare sector collaboration between: 1) the Center for Black Maternal Health and Reproductive Justice (CBMHRJ) at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts; 2) MARCH: Maternal Advocacy and Research for Community Health at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts; and 3) SomerBaby, an early childhood home-visiting and parental support program through Somerville Public Schools in Somerville, Massachusetts. To address Somerville immigrant parental health gaps in the literature, we convened a Parent Advisory Board (PAB), co-created a novel health needs assessment survey in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and distributed this survey both through home visits by SomerBaby interpreters as well as online for all Somerville parents of children three years old or younger. In this manuscript, we focus on topics related to the overall methodology of this project, including study conceptualization, lessons learned in community-engaged parental health research, and recommendations for academic-community research partnerships in pursuit of Black and Brown maternal health equity.

Psychosocial outcomes in mothers and fathers of chronic critically ill children: a national prospective longitudinal study

PurposeHospitalization of a child in PICU affects the psychological health and functioning of their family. In case of prolonged or repeated hospitalizations, sources of stress and family needs evolve, which leads to new challenges for families. To date, little is known about changes in the health of chronic critically ill (CCI) children’s family. We aimed to identify and compare psychosocial outcomes of mothers and fathers of CCI children overtime and the associated factors of better family functioning.MethodsThis national prospective longitudinal study was conducted in eight paediatric intensive care units in Switzerland. Outcome measures included perceived stress, PICU sources of stress, and family functioning using validated standard questionnaires. Family members with a CCI child completed self-reported questionnaires during PICU hospitalization, at discharge and 1 month later.ResultsA total of 199 mothers and fathers were included. Our results show high levels of stress experienced by parents throughout and after the hospitalization. Sources of stress are mainly related to child appearance and emotional responses and parental role alteration. Family functioning is low throughout the hospitalization and significantly decreased after 30 days of hospitalization (p = 0.002). Mothers experience higher physical and emotional family dysfunction than fathers after PICU discharge (p = 0.05). Family dysfunction is associated with pre-existing low child’s quality of life.ConclusionOur study highlights the importance of reducing the negative impact of PICU stay on parents’ psychosocial outcomes, through early emotional parental support, and appropriate response to their individual needs throughout and after PICU hospitalization.

Exploring participation and engagement in a multi-component, universal early parenting programme

PurposeParenting programmes are increasingly a feature of services and policies aimed at improving outcomes for children and families and tackling inequality, yet they remain underused. This study aims to assess parent engagement and retention in the parent and infant (PIN) programme – a universal, multi-component intervention designed to support parents from birth to when their children reach two years of age. The programme can be tailored to parent/community needs but also includes standardised core elements including two Incredible Years parenting programmes. Programme provider perspectives on recruiting and supporting participation were also explored.Design/methodology/approachA mixed methods study was conducted involving parents (n = 106) and programme providers involved in the PIN programme. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the impact of participant demographic characteristics on the likelihood of programme engagement and attendance. Semi-structured interviews explored facilitators’ experiences of parent recruitment and engagement, as well as barriers and facilitators of parental attendance.FindingsFirst-time mothers were more likely to initially enrol in the PIN programme than younger or lone parents. However, older age and married/cohabiting status were the strongest predictors of attending at least one-third of programme sessions. Qualitative findings highlighted the importance of relationship building and connection in supporting participant recruitment and engagement. Practical and psychological barriers to programme participation are also described.Originality/valueThe findings shed light on factors that influence engagement and attendance in universal, early parent support programmes. Barriers to parent engagement are multi-layered and tailored strategies to promote uptake of parenting programmes are needed.

Family support services for vulnerable families in Bulgaria: barriers and challenges

Family support services are of crucial importance for families from vulnerable groups in order to ensure their normal access to the educational, health and social systems and to protect the child’s best interest in parenting. The aim of this paper is to review the key challenges in effectively delivering family services to vulnerable families in Bulgaria through a discussion of the main barriers and facilitators in family support provision. The analysis is based on the data from a small-scale survey including online survey with 40 organizations providers of family services; interviews with 15 professionals working in these organizations and a group discussion with the services providers from the Community Center for Early Childhood Development and Parental Support "Nadezhda" in the city of Burgas, Bulgaria. The main difficulties that the professionals came across in their work concerned convincing families to use the services, overcoming parents’ unwillingness to cooperate with professionals and denying or neglecting the child’s problem and handling the discrepancy between user's expectations and delivered services. The survey data also outlined the proactive solutions and the directions for improvement in the quality of services: development of interaction and partnership with families from vulnerable groups; networking with other institutions and organizations to provide non-fragmented services; increasing the number of educational and health mediators that will increase parents’ motivation and encourage services take-up; providing integrated services in the community through mobile groups and fieldwork; overcoming prejudices and discriminative attitudes toward marginalized groups and raising the level of awareness of families toward delivered services and their effects on child’s wellbeing.

The effect of childhood social isolation on behavioral cognition in Chinese middle-aged and older adults: The moderating effect of family support

IntroductionThis study aimed to analyze the association of childhood social isolation and behavioral cognition, and moderating effect of family support in middle-aged and older adults. MethodsThe study samples were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) of 2014 and 2018. The dependent variable was behavioral cognitive ability, measured by episodic memory and mental state; The independent variable was childhood social isolation, and the moderating variable was family support. The baseline OLS regression model was used to explore the correlation among independent variables, dependent variables and moderating variables, the least square regression model was used to analyze the moderating effect of family support, and the replacement model and the method of replacing characteristic variables were used for the robustness test. Hierarchical regression heterogeneity analysis was performed to further verify the results of the moderating effect. ResultsIn this study, 3459 samples were selected for analysis. OLS baseline regression results showed that the deepening of childhood social isolation was significantly correlated with the decline of behavioral cognitive ability in middle-aged and elderly people (β=-0.9664, t = 0.0893). After adding all covariates, we found that childhood social isolation was significantly negatively correlated with behavioral cognitive ability in middle-aged and elderly people (β=-0.4118, t = 0.0785). Among the moderating variables of family support, we found that there is a moderating effect on female guardians' efforts of caring in early parental support (β=0.0948, t = 0.0320) and the frequency of children's visits in late children support (β=0.0073, t = 0.0036). Finally, through the heterogeneity test, we found that there were differences in the relationship between childhood social isolation and behavioral cognitive ability among middle-aged and elderly people of different ages, genders and places of residence. Moreover, there are significant differences in the moderating effect of female guardian's effort of caring and the frequency of children's visits in heterogeneous groups. ConclusionsThe greater the degree of childhood social isolation experienced by middle-aged and elderly people, the worse their behavioral cognitive ability. Female guardian's effort of caring and the frequency of children's visits have a moderating effect to suppress this negative effect.

Impact of parental engagement model of care on emergency room visits and hospital readmissions in preterm infants

IntroductionPreterm infants are highly vulnerable to long-term health and developmental disabilities, which often amplify family stress. Parental engagement models of care provide opportunities for early parental mindfulness, support, and education while in the hospital. ObjectiveEvaluation of the effect of parental engagement programs, specifically the Family Integrated Model of Care (FiCare), on emergency room visits and hospital readmissions within the first 30 days after hospital discharge. MethodsRetrospective cohort study conducted at level II and III NICUs on infants born ≤33 weeks gestation. One group of infants was subject to FiCare, and the other was born before its implementation. ResultsSeventy-three infants (36 pre-FiCare, 37 FiCare) were enrolled. Infants in the FiCare group had significantly fewer emergency room visits and no non-urgent ER visits compared to infants in the pre-FiCare group. ConclusionEarly parental engagement programs can improve parents’ competency and may also reduce the utilization of hospital resources after hospital discharge.

A Pathway to Meaning in Life: Early Parental Support, Attachment, and the Moderating Role of Alexithymia

A Pathway to Meaning in Life: Early Parental Support, Attachment, and the Moderating Role of Alexithymia

Early parental support and meaning in life among young adults: the mediating roles of optimism and identity

Meaning in life is an important aspect of wellbeing for young adults transitioning into new roles. While research suggests young adults’ quality of family environments is associated with meaning, few studies have examined mechanisms that explain how early parental support may facilitate young adults’ sense of meaning. Understanding factors that contribute to the development of meaning can shape helping practices for young adults, particularly those lacking in earlier parental support. The present study explored the relationship between young adults’ appraisals of childhood parental support and present meaning in life, through mediation effects of dispositional optimism and identity commitment. A sample of 120 young adults aged 18–25 completed assessments of early parental support, optimism, identity commitment, and meaning in life. Parallel mediation was used to examine the hypothesized model, controlling for neuroticism. Analyses supported the association between early parental support and meaning in life being mediated by optimism and identity commitment. The findings may inform prevention and intervention practices in support of healthy development and wellbeing among youth.

Mothers in same-sex relationships-Striving for equal parenthood: A grounded theory study.

Aims and objectivesTo get a deeper understanding of how mothers in same‐sex relationships think and reason about their parenthood in terms of gender equality, and how they experience early parental support from child healthcare professionals.BackgroundThere is an increasing amount of research on how women in same‐sex relationships experience healthcare services when forming a family. Yet there is limited knowledge of what kind of early parental support these women may request.DesignGrounded theory. Follows guidelines for qualitative research (COREQ).MethodTwenty women ranging from 25 to 42 years of age participated in semi‐structured interviews. Data collection and analysis took place in parallel, as recommended in grounded theory methodology.ResultsThe results are described by the core category Same‐sex mothers request professional support to achieve equal parenthood, which includes five categories: (a) equality in everyday life, (b) diversity in mother and child attachment, (c) justification of the family structure, (d) ambivalent thoughts about their child's future and (e) a special need for networking and request for professional support. These findings provide a deeper understanding of how same‐sex mothers experience their parenthood and the parental support that is offered.ConclusionChild healthcare professionals need to be sensitive and recognise both mothers as equal parents and offer early parenting groups where two‐mother families feel included and supported.Relevance to clinical practiceHealthcare professionals need to be aware of diverse family formations and meet each parent as a unique individual without heteronormative assumptions. Same‐sex mothers must be treated as equal parents and acknowledged as mothers. Healthcare professionals should offer inclusive and supportive parental groups to same‐sex families. They should also inform and support nonbirth mothers about the possibility to breastfeed.

Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Trial of the Relief Nursery Program.

An independent, randomized controlled trial of the community-developed, multiple-component Relief Nursery prevention program was conducted with families with young children considered "at risk" for child abuse and neglect. This established program, currently operating at multiple sites in the state of Oregon, comprises an integrated package of prevention services to children and families, including early childhood education, home visiting, and parent education and support, as well as other interventions tailored to the needs of each particular family. Families who contacted the Relief Nursery for the first time were randomly assigned to one of two conditions, the Full Program condition, whose members had access to all services available from the Relief Nursery, or the Respite Care condition, whose members had access only to respite care and referrals to services provided by other community agencies. A primary caregiver in each family was interviewed prior to intervention and then every 6months across a period of 2years. Standardized measures were collected on a variety of risk and protective factors related to child abuse and neglect. Analyses were conducted at the end of the study period. Differences were found between the conditions in terms of perceived helpfulness and satisfaction with services and in terms of social support, in each case favoring the Full Program condition. Implications of the findings for future studies of multicomponent child abuse prevention programs with similar characteristics to the Relief Nursery are discussed.

Mothers in Same-Sex Relationships Describe the Process of Forming a Family as a Stressful Journey in a Heteronormative World: A Swedish Grounded Theory Study

Objectives The aim of this study was to gain insight into how women in same-sex relationships experience the process of forming a family through the use of assisted reproduction technique (ART), from planning the pregnancy to parenthood, and their experience of parental support from healthcare professionals. Methods The participants were 20 women in a same-sex relationship who had conceived through ART at a Swedish clinic. Semi-structured interviews including open questions about pregnancy, parenthood and support from healthcare professionals were conducted. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analysed according to grounded theory. Results The core category, A stressful journey through a heteronormative world, emerged from the analysis, as did three subcategories: A journey fraught with difficulties and decisions; The nuclear family as the norm; and A need for psychological support. Same-sex parents expressed a need for more information about how to access ART in Sweden. Both the healthcare organization and treatment were perceived as heteronormative. In particular, these women lacked psychological support during the demanding process of utilizing a sperm donor to conceive. Conclusions for Practice Professionals in antenatal care should undergo mandatory cultural competency training to ensure cultural sensitivity and the provision of updated information, tailored brochures and early parental support for families with same-sex parents. All parents need guidance and support from competent, caring personnel throughout the entire process of forming a family.

Adherence to growth hormone therapy in children and its potential barriers.

One of the main concerns in chronic diseases such as growth hormone (GH) deficiency is adherence to the treatment, which significantly affects treatment outcomes. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 169 GH recipient children (2-12 years) and teens (13-19 years) referred to a GH distributing teaching pharmacy. The eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and auto-compliance method were used for the assessment of patients' adherence to GH. The potential barriers to GH therapy adherence and medication persistence were also explored. Based on the MMAS method, 56.7% of the children and 57.9% of the adolescent groups were adherent to GH therapy. Conversely, according to the auto-compliance method almost all the patients were adherent in the children (95.2%) and adolescent (95.5%) groups. Forgetting to take the injection or refill the prescription, being away from home, exhaustion from long-term injection, drug shortage and inaccessibility to the pharmacy were barriers found to be significantly associated with a low adherence in the children group. While in the adolescent group, forgetting to take the injection, painful injection, concern about long-term complications and exhaustion from long-term injection revealed a significant association with low adherence. Persistence with GH therapy was reported in 75.3% and 67% of children and adolescent patients, respectively. The current study revealed that overall adherence of the study population is low. Considering the barriers with significant association with adherence, different strategies can be incorporated to enhance adherence to GH therapy, i.e. providing early patient and parent education and support, medication reminder systems and longer duration of GH prescriptions.

Increasing the Effectiveness of Early Intervention Practices for Young Children with Visual Impairment

Although the importance of early intervention programs for visually impaired young children is widely recognized, there is a lack of knowledge about the practical implications of these programs. The primary purpose of the study was to explore the related literature on early intervention practices targeting visually impaired young children and their families. This study reviewed the current research, practices, approaches, and strategies to engage these children and their families, and identified the gaps that should be addressed by future research. The review highlighted the importance of initial screening and its standardization, customization of early intervention programs and parental support practices, education of early intervention specialists, and emotional support and peer groups for children and parents. By synthesizing the academic and grey literature, this study presented a comprehensive discussion and provided significant implications particularly to researchers, healthcare administrators, and policymakers involved in improving the quality of life of visually impaired young children.

A pilot study of social inclusion and quality of life for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

ABSTRACTBackground Access to both childcare and early intervention for pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult for parents or carers and may impact on parental social inclusion and wellbeing. There is limited research investigating how specialist centres offering both services may impact on parental outcomes.Method Parents whose children were attending such a specialised childcare setting in two states in Australia (Tasmania and South Australia) were invited to participate in a mixed-methods study investigating quality of life (Qol), social inclusion and perceptions of the centres.Results Parents had typically low levels of QoL but reported a range of benefits from receiving services, including increased levels of community participation and increased competence and confidence in themselves as parents.Conclusions Childcare centres offering specialist multi-disciplinary early intervention and parental support are valued by parents and assist with social inclusion.

Early Parental Support, Relationships With God, and Self-Rated Health in Advanced Old Age

Object relations theory specifies that the nature of the relationship that individuals form with their primary caretaker serves as a prototype for the social relationships they develop in adulthood. Some investigators extend this perspective by arguing that social ties with caretakers also shape relationships with God. The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate this extension. Data from a nationwide survey of older adults (N = 1,277) are used to evaluate a model that contains the following core relationships: (1) people who receive support from their primary caretakers will be more likely to attend worship services; (2) individuals who attend church frequently will be likely to develop a close relationship with God; (3) those who have a close relationship with God will be more hopeful about the future; and (4) people who are more hopeful will enjoy better health. The data provide support for each of these relationships.

Early Parental Support as Predictor of Early Literacy Skills: A Study from Four Administrative Districts in Ghana

<p>This study from four administrative districts in Ghana suggest that early parental involvement<br />in their children’s literacy practices is likely to predict better effects on these children in basic<br />reading skills. The benefits of parental involvement and support as predictor of literacy and<br />educational achievement are enormous. They go beyond early academic achievement in<br />pre-school. Early exposure to reading with parents from the homes predisposes children for<br />formal basic literacy instruction. Indeed, early involvement of parents in their child’s reading is<br />found to be the number one critical factor contributing positively to language and emergent<br />literacy. Home reading activities in which parents are involved significantly influence<br />achievements in reading as well as in language comprehension and expressive language skills.<br />This report also points to possible link between educational background of parents and<br />children’s reading achievement at the pre-school: the higher the parental education background,<br />the higher the level of home involvement predicting children’s early achievement in literacy<br />skills.</p>

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE INFLUENCE OF EARLY PERCEIVED PARENTAL SUPPORT ON STUDENT MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT AND STEM CAREER ATTAINMENT

The lack of females entering STEM careers is well documented. Reasons for the gender gaps at all stages of the educational pipeline include both internal factors such as self-concept and external factors such as the influence of parents, media, and educators. Using latent growth curve analysis and nationally representative longitudinal survey data, this study compares differences in the relationship between a critical external factor (perceived early parental support), student mathematics and science achievement trajectories, and persistence in STEM career by gender. Mathematics and science trajectories were positively related to STEM career persistence for males and females. Perceived early parental support was related to growth in mathematics achievement for males but not females. There was no relationship between early perceived parental support and growth in science achievement for either males or females. These findings indicate differences in the relationship between parental support, achievement, and career persistence depending on content area and gender.

The association of early parent support for child autonomy with changes in bullying among children with and without ADHD and ODD

The association of early parent support for child autonomy with changes in bullying among children with and without ADHD and ODD

Fathers sharing about early parental support in health-care - virtual discussions on an Internet forum

Becoming a father is a life changing event and this transition is associated with various emotions. Educational activities aimed at new parents are important in healthcare parental support (HCPS). HCPS has been critiqued for its predominant focus on mothers, while the needs of fathers seem to have been downplayed. As a result, fathers often turn to Internet-based forums for support. As virtual discussions and mutual support among fathers take place in cyberspace, it is important to monitor these forums to observe the ways in which the fathers discuss HCPS. The aim of this study is to explore the ways in which new fathers visiting an Internet-based forum for fathers communicated their experiences of HCPS. A netnographic method consisting of six steps was used to gather and analyse the data. The findings show that fathers shared with one another their experiences of the attitudes expressed by HCPS workers as well as their own attitudes towards HCPS. The attitudes of HCPS workers that were directed towards the fathers were perceived as highly personal and individual, while fathers described their attitudes towards the HCPS in general terms, towards HCPS as a system. Overall, the fathers described HCPS as a valuable confirmatory support that eased their worries concerning sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), colic, weight gain, fever and teething. Although the fathers expressed gratitude towards HCPS, they also shared their negative experiences, such as feeling invisible, disregarded and insulted. In fact, the twofold attitudes that exist in the relationship between the fathers and HCPS can act as a barrier rather than being a confirmatory support. We recommend that HCPS adopts a broader approach using more targeted and strategic didactic methods for supporting fathers in the growth of their own personal awareness, as such an approach would offer a competitive and professional alternative to the support offered in informal experience-based Internet forums.