Healthy Parent-child Relationships Research Articles

Exploring the Impact of Second-Child Mothers' Dislike on the Eldest Child: Understand its Influence and the Path to Building Intimate Relationships

This study aims to explore the influence of the mother's dislike on the eldest child in the second-child family, and to understand its influence and the way to establish intimate relationship. By interviewing and analyzing the mothers and eldest children of five groups of second-child families, the study found that the mother's dislike had a significant impact on the behavior and psychological state of the eldest children. The results show that the mother's dislike will lead the eldest children to feel neglected and ignored, thus affecting their study, mood, behavior and career choice. In addition, this study proposes to promote the establishment of intimate relationship between mother and eldest child through positive parent-child interaction, emotional expression and support. This study is of great significance to understand the influence of mother's dislike on the eldest child in the second child family and to establish a healthy parent-child relationship.

A Study of the Effect of Family Structure on Adolescents’ Commitment to Learning

Normalized population mobility leads to smaller family sizes, which in turn leads to changes in China's family structure, with nuclear and single-parent families becoming more common. Research has shown that family structure has an impact on parent-child communication and even on adolescents' commitment in learning, and the impact varies across different types of families. This study centers on the keywords of family structure and learning engagement by reading relevant literature in recent years. According to the study, it is found that adolescents aged 13-15 years old lack communication with their parents, which is often caused by inappropriate communication between the two parties, or other related reasons. Compared with other family structures, parent-child communication in nuclear families is more perfect because they have a simple structure, a better family atmosphere, and parents spend more time with their children. However, parent-child communication in single-parent families is less effective, and parental divorce also has a certain impact on communication, which affects the children's learning efficiency. From the above, it can be seen that family structure affects parent-child relationship, and a good family structure is conducive to the establishment of healthy parent-child relationship.

Culturally Diverse Parenting: Deconstructing Attachment Theory

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to explore the general principles of attachment theory in the context of culturally diverse parenting practices, analyze its systemic impact on culturally diverse families, and describe its implications to the field of speech-language pathology. Method: Attachment theory emphasizes the general principles of proximity, safety, and secure base. These values are known to promote healthy parent–child relationships that influence long-term developmental outcomes. However, systems based on attachment theory, which are premised in Eurocentric parenting practices, may often misinterpret or overlook culturally diverse parenting styles. Such misunderstandings can have serious socio-legal implications on families from culturally diverse backgrounds and can lead to paradigmatic influences in clinical contexts relating to communication development. Conclusions: A cultural basis for attachment questions the fixed notions of attachment theory and emphasizes the need for alternative frameworks to understand parental sensitivity, secure base, and proximity. As attachment theory has influenced norms and expectations in parent–child communication development, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) will benefit from recognizing this bias and its influence on culturally and linguistically diverse families. Understanding socially diverse parenting styles can provide SLPs with meaningful information on the importance of cultural variability in parent–child attachment, so that clinical assessment and intervention practices incorporate culturally responsive parenting frameworks.

Implementing Parenting Programs in Primary Care: A Framework and a Call for Action.

Healthy parent-child relationships are clearly critical to healthy child development. Parenting programs develop caregivers' skills to support the health and well-being of children. Rigorous evidence has demonstrated the efficacy of these programs. Rising rates of child and youth depression, anxiety, grief, and suicide, both prior to and compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, provide further reasons to implement parenting programs that support all parents in their essential roles. Parents can act as a buffer to stressors and support for children's well-being when they have the knowledge and skills to do so. Pediatric primary care practices are a natural setting for parenting programs, but challenges, including stigma, technology, workflow issues, and funding, have prevented their broad dissemination, implementation, and sustainability. In this article, we develop a framework for implementing parenting programs in primary care and present key considerations for selecting programs that fit the needs of parents, providers, patients, and the practice. We offer lessons from our experiences in overcoming these challenges, using the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to structure our discussion. We also provide an initial stepwise process which readers may use to plan their own parenting program implementation. Pediatric clinicians and practices can use this article and associated resources to plan, implement, and evaluate parenting programs in their practices as a strategy to help address the growing youth mental health crisis. Improving parenting behaviors can reduce the need for current or future mental health interventions by supporting optimal child development, emotional regulation, and parent-child relationships.

Analyzing the Effects of Smartphone Addiction, Parental Attachment, Peer Attachment on Impulsivity in School-Disengaged Adolescents

Purpose: This study examined the effects of smartphone addiction, parental attachment, and peer attachment on impulsivity among dropout adolescents, using 318 adolescents who participated in the fifth year of the Panel Survey of School Disengaged Adolescents.
 Method: To investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on impulsivity among school dropouts, we conducted inter-variable correlation analysis, three-step mediated regression analysis, and Sobel test.
 Results: First, the correlations between impulsivity, smartphone addiction, parental attachment, and peer attachment of dropout adolescents were analyzed, and the results showed that parental attachment and peer attachment were negatively related to impulsivity and smartphone addiction were positively related to impulsivity. Second, the mediating effects of parental attachment and peer attachment on the effects of smartphone addiction on impulsivity of dropout adolescents were analyzed, and the results showed that both parental attachment and peer attachment had mediating effects on reducing impulsivity of dropout adolescents.
 Conclusion: This study is significant in that it confirms the influence of parental attachment and peer attachment on smartphone addiction and impulsivity among dropout adolescents. Therefore, based on the findings of this study, various educational interventions are needed to reduce the impulsivity of dropout adolescents through various pathways of adolescent impulsivity, and at the same time, programs that promote healthy parent-child relationships and peer relationships should be actively implemented as a preventive measure.

Multidimensional assessment of infant, parent and staff outcomes during a family centered care enhancement project in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit: study protocol of a longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundThe therapeutic advances and progress in the care for preterm infants have enabled the regular survival of very immature infants. However, the high burden of lifelong sequelae following premature delivery constitutes an ongoing challenge. Regardless of premature delivery, parental mental health and a healthy parent–child relationship were identified as essential prerogatives for normal infant development. Family centered care (FCC) supports preterm infants and their families by respecting the particular developmental, social and emotional needs in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Due to the large variations in concepts and goals of different FCC initiatives, scientific data on the benefits of FCC for the infant and family outcome are sparse and its effects on the clinical team need to be elaborated.MethodsThis prospective single centre longitudinal cohort study enrols preterm infants ≤ 32 + 0 weeks of gestation and/or birthweight ≤ 1500 g and their parents at the neonatal department of the Giessen University Hospital, Giessen, Germany. Following a baseline period, the rollout of additional FCC elements is executed following a stepwise 6-months approach that covers the NICU environment, staff training, parental education and psychosocial support for parents. Recruitment is scheduled over a 5.5. year period from October 2020 to March 2026. The primary outcome is corrected gestational age at discharge. Secondary infant outcomes include neonatal morbidities, growth, and psychomotor development up to 24 months. Parental outcome measures are directed towards parental skills and satisfaction, parent-infant-interaction and mental health. Staff issues are elaborated with particular focus on the item workplace satisfaction. Quality improvement steps are monitored using the Plan- Do- Study- Act cycle method and outcome measures cover the infant, the parents and the medical team. The parallel data collection enables to study the interrelation between these three important areas of research. Sample size calculation was based on the primary outcome.DiscussionIt is scientifically impossible to allocate improvements in outcome measures to individual enhancement steps of FCC that constitutes a continuous change in NICU culture and attitudes covering diverse areas of change. Therefore, our trial is designed to allocate childhood, parental and staff outcome measures during the stepwise changes introduced by a FCC intervention program.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, trial registration number NCT05286983, date of registration 03/18/2022, retrospectively registered, http://clinicaltrials.gov.

The Importance of the Parent-child Relationship to Children's Psychological Development

The relationship between a parent and kid is one of the earliest and longest-lasting interactions in a person's life; furthermore, it substantially impacts the development of a child's mental health. Therefore, the definition of parent-child connections and the many sorts of these interactions will be investigated throughout this paper. There are four different styles of interactions that can exist between parents and their children: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved. What is more, this study investigates the impact of parent-child relationships on the psychological development of children in three distinct areas: language development, personality development, and language development. It is also suggested how to develop a healthy parent-child relationship, including the need to respect children's decisions, maintain open lines of communication with children, and provide children with great companionship. According to the research findings mentioned above, the relationships between parents and their children have a substantial impact on the psychological development of children.

Effectiveness of Parental Preparedness Package among Couples Conceived with Artificial Reproductive Techniques.

The problem of infertility is experienced as a crisis or major life stressor with potentially serious negative effects on the couple's relationship and preparation toward the parenthood. According to Sharlip et al., it has been estimated that about 15% of couple would have trouble in conception, and at present, 48.5 million couples experience infertility globally. To decrease the stress among parents to be and to promote healthy parenting for bringing out healthy parent-child relationships, an intervention of Parent Education Program was planned and executed. A study was conducted with the aim to assess the effectiveness of parental preparedness package (PPP) on physical health among couple conceived with artificial reproductive techniques (ART). The study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of PPP in fifty couples conceived with ART at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Quantitative approach was used to collect the data of couples by doing pre- and postinterventional assessment of physical health of couple using the Structured Physical Health Assessment Scale. Analysis was done with the help of descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that mean score of physical health of couple (both husband and wife) increased significantly after the intervention which infers the effectiveness of PPP (P = 0.001). Our study concludes that PPP should be incorporated in the antenatal care protocol in all couples who conceive using ART.

The acculturation gap of parent-child relationships in immigrant families: A national study.

We examined the acculturation processes involving intergenerational consonance and dissonance in parent-child relationships in U.S. immigrant families. This study is important because we lack national studies that examine the association between acculturation processes and intergenerational relationships among diverse racial/ethnic groups in immigrant families. Using national data from Add Health with diverse race/ethnicity, we measured acculturation levels by immigrant generation, age of arrival, and length of time. Intergenerational consonance (the degree to which children and parents share the same values and activities) was measured by family cohesion and sharing meals (specifically dinners) with parents. Intergenerational dissonance (the degree to which parents and children differ in expected norms and parents lose authority over their children) was measured by parent-child conflict and parental control. Ordinary least square, binary logistic, ordered logistic, and Poisson regressions were conducted depending on the nature of the four dependent variables. We found robust evidence that adolescents of the second immigrant generation acculturate more rapidly than those of the first generation and their immigrant parents creating a "gap" in intergenerational relationships. Thus, second-generation adolescents experience lower levels of family cohesion, less frequency of sharing weekly dinners with parents, less parental control of adolescents' activities, and more serious arguments about their behaviors with their parents than their first-generation counterparts. This is the new evidence that is based on national data, across multiple measures of intergenerational relationships, and holds for diverse racial and ethnic groups. The findings underscore the importance of developing culturally informed interventions supporting healthy parent-child relationships in immigrant families.

A Comparison of the Egalitarian Parenting Relationship between America after WWI and China after WWII

A healthy parent-child relationship can be defined as the relationship where parents provide for their child's physical, emotional, and developmental needs. Egalitarian parenting is taken to be the representative of American image and the west and is after by other countries in the world. As comparison with the West, China, the representative of the eastern in the world is always criticized for the authoritarian parent-child relationship. This paper analyzes the development and performance of egalitarianism in children-rearing in America after WWI and China after WWII from four periods: authoritarian generation VS founding generation; depression generation VS turbulent construction generation; baby-boom generation VS Reform and opening up generation; info-child generation(1965-)vs (1994-), and investigates the reasons from the aspects of ideology and socialization.

32.4 A SCOPING REVIEW OF MINDFUL PARENTING RESEARCH

Mindful parenting has been shown to promote healthy parent-child relationships through: 1) parents/caregivers’ increased sensitivity and responsiveness to their children’s needs despite contextual and parenting-related stress; and 2) the promotion of their own well-being. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the empirical evidence regarding mindful parenting research and practice over the past 15 years. A scoping review was conducted to identify all peer-reviewed publications reporting on mindful parenting studies. Criteria were established to determine study inclusion in the scoping review and studies were then coded by a team of trained coders. The results of the mindful parenting review (n = 134 studies) revealed that approximately 60% of studies implemented a mindfulness or mindful parenting intervention, with others measuring basic levels of parent dispositional mindfulness or mindful parenting in relation to other aspects of parenting and child/family outcomes. The literature on parental reflective functioning was also reviewed (n = 96 studies) to compare and contrast findings with the mindful parenting literature. Many of the results provide evidence of convergent associations and impacts on positive parenting behaviors for both mindful parenting and parental reflective functioning approaches. Across the parenting literature reviewed, however, most studies lack diversity in their sample characteristics because participants were predominantly White and the emphasis was on mothers. Many studies were lacking in detail regarding provider qualifications and training. Synergistic effects may be achieved by employing both mindful parenting and reflective parenting approaches together. Additional community-based participatory research is needed to: 1) refine professional training models for clinicians; and 2) identify appropriate intervention adaptations for different racial/ethnic and cultural groups and people who are fathering.

Associations between gaming disorder, parent-child relationship, parental supervision, and discipline styles: Findings from a school-based survey during the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.

Background and aimsVietnam implemented numerous measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among school students, including study-at-home/self-quarantine. During the study-at-home period, adolescents may engage in more video gaming than usual, potentially contributing to gaming disorder. However, the regionally-representative prevalence of gaming disorder and its association with parenting practice and discipline practice have not been described. We assessed the prevalence of gaming disorder among Vietnamese adolescents during the initial 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associations between gaming disorder and parenting practice and discipline practice.MethodsWe conducted a school-based, self-administered cross-sectional survey of 2,084 students in Hanoi, Vietnam (response rate = 97.1%). The survey included standardized instruments translated from English to Vietnamese. We performed multilevel logistic regressions to assess the associations between parenting practice, discipline practice, and gaming disorder.ResultsThe prevalence of gaming disorder among the respondents was 11.6%. Healthy parent-child relationship was protective against gaming disorder (Adj OR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.21, 0.62). Non-supervision, non-discipline, violent discipline were positively associated with gaming disorder.Discussion and ConclusionsWe found associations between gaming disorder and parent-child relationship, parental supervision, and parental discipline. Future interventional studies should consider assessing the effect of fostering healthy parent-child relationships and appropriate discipline on the occurrence or prognosis of gaming disorders.

Intergenerational Trauma: Assessment in Biological Mothers and Preschool Children.

Childhood trauma can lead to lifelong detrimental outcomes. Intergenerational trauma should be considered when supporting healthy parent-child relationships. Research is needed on intergenerational trauma in relation to children's negative life event exposure, which could compound intergenerational trauma. We examined the prevalence of and relations between mother and child traumas in a sample of 88 biological mothers and their preschool-aged children. We coded child negative life events to examine those related to intergenerational trauma. Results showed that mother traumas and child negative life events were positively associated; subtypes of mothers' traumas (abuse, neglect) and high trauma levels were associated with higher numbers of child negative life events, including those tied to parent trauma. It is necessary to consider how childhood trauma in adults and children is measured, and what analyses can reveal about the intergenerational context, especially considering compounding current, stressful world events.

Barriers and facilitators to mood and confidence in pregnancy and early parenthood during COVID-19 in the UK: mixed-methods synthesis survey.

Parental well-being during pregnancy and early parenthood is critical for child development. Environmental stressors can significantly challenge parental well-being. To investigate how COVID-19 and associated restrictions influence mood and parenting confidence of expectant parents and those in early parenthood, identifying barriers and facilitators. We used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data from 590 expectant parents and parents of infants (564 women) during the most restrictive phase of lockdown in the UK. We included a mixture of forced-choice and open-ended questions pertaining to mood, perceived social support, media use, online interactions and parenting expectations. Quantitative data were analysed with multiple linear regression and proportional odds models; an inductive thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Quantitative and qualitative data were qualitatively synthesised. Since COVID-19, expectant parents and parents of new-borns reported a decrease in mood and parenting confidence. Barriers included practical difficulties (finding essentials, reliable health information), social difficulties (loss of physical contact, decreased support) and uncertainty during pregnancy. Facilitators included support from others and, for first-time parents, loss of child care resulting in greater parenting confidence. Although online resources and communication were not preferable to face-to-face interactions, technology was a helpful tool for communicating, getting support, and finding essentials and information during lockdown. By mid-May 2020, mood and parenting confidence among expectant and parents of new-borns in the UK were significantly reduced. Consideration of barriers and facilitators in healthcare and psychological support provided is likely important for promoting parental mental health and healthy parent-child relationships.

Supporting Positive Parenting and Promoting Healthy Living through Family Cooking Classes.

Background: The family is an important setting in the promotion of child health. The parent–child relationship affects the social and health development of children, and children’s healthy behaviors are associated with positive parenting strategies. The parent–child relationship is bi-directional and the connection between parenting and child health is complex. However, few parenting interventions work with parents and children together, and more knowledge is needed on how to develop and implement interventions promoting healthy parent–child relationships. Focusing on a family cooking class program, this study addresses how community initiatives engaging parents and children together can contribute to integrating parenting support with local health promotion. Methods: Participant-driven photo-elicited interviews (nine families), focus group evaluations (nine parents/14 children) and observations during cooking classes (10 classes) were applied to analyze the tools and mechanisms that can support positive parenting. Results: The study found that visual, practical and sensory learning techniques, applied in a context-sensitive learning environment that ensured guidance, safety and a friendly social atmosphere, contributed to positive parent–child interaction and bonding. Conclusion: The cooking program facilitated parenting practices that support child involvement and autonomy. Thus, the program constituted an effective intervention to strengthen parent–child relationships and positive parenting.

Promoting mother-infant relationships and underlying neural correlates: Results from a randomized controlled trial of a home-visiting program for adolescent mothers in Brazil.

Poverty and teenage pregnancy are common in low‐and‐middle‐income countries and can impede the development of healthy parent‐child relationships. This study aimed to test whether a home‐visiting intervention could improve early attachment relationships between adolescent mothers and their infants living in poverty in Brazil. Analyses were conducted on secondary outcomes from a randomized controlled trial (NCT0280718) testing the efficacy of a home‐visiting program, Primeiros Laços, on adolescent mothers’ health and parenting skills and their infants’ development. Pregnant youth were randomized to intervention (n = 40) or care‐as‐usual (CAU, n = 40) from the first trimester of pregnancy until infants were aged 24 months. Mother‐infant attachment was coded during a mother‐infant interaction when the infants were aged 12 months. Electrophysiological correlates of social processing (mean amplitude of the Nc component) were measured while infants viewed facial images of the mother and a stranger at age 6 months. Infants in the intervention group were more securely attached and more involved with their mothers than those receiving CAU at 12 months. Smaller Nc amplitudes to the mother's face at 6 months were associated with better social behavior at 12 months. Our findings indicate that the Primeiros Laços Program is effective in enhancing the development of mother‐infant attachment.

Parental Infertility: Impact of the Quality of the Relation between Parents and Adopted Children

Background: Infertility-related stress is often greatest for heterosexual couples who pursue more extensive fertility treatments as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) than other couples. Treatments can affect the development of the parent-child relationship of couples who then decided to adopt a child. Aims: This study was performed to demonstrate that the couples who underwent In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) before adopting a child, could have more difficulties in the relationship with the adopted child than the other couples. Methods: Parents were interviewed by a pediatrician and by a psychologist to collect socio-economic, clinical and psychological information regarding their own health and that of their children. A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model was carried out. Results: Couple conflict and previous infertility treatment are directly related to Difficult Home Environment. High conflict couples and couples who underwent a fertility treatment have a higher mean value for Difficult Home Environment. Conclusions: These findings indicate that couples who underwent IVF had a higher level of stress and more difficulty in the development of a healthy parent-child relationship during and immediately after adoption.

Associations between depression and parenting of fathers in Head Start and parental self-efficacy as a protective factor

• Prevalence of depression among fathers in Early Head Start/Head Start programs. • Fathers’ depression weakens relationship closeness with their children. • Depression increases relationship conflicts with their children. • Parental self-efficacy mitigates the influence of depression. • Improving fathers’ parental self-efficacy is important in early childhood services. Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) programs deliver comprehensive early childhood services in the U.S. to support low-income families to improve a range of early childhood outcomes and to develop positive parenting and parent-child relationships. From the beginning of the program, increasing fathers’ involvement with their children in HS/EHS has been an important emphasis. However, depressive symptoms among low-income fathers can negatively impact their relationships with their children. Protective factors such as parental self-efficacy (PSE) can potentially buffer the effects of depression. In this study, we aimed to understand the associations between low-income HS/EHS fathers’ depressive symptoms and relationship closeness and conflict with their young children aged 5 and below. We also examined if the PSE of fathers can buffer the negative associations between depression and father-child relationship. We analyzed cross-sectional data collected from fathers ( n = 102) who participated in a parenting support program while receiving HS/EHS services in the United States. Participants were primarily African American (83%), of mean age 32 years, and lived with their children (74%). Using multiple linear regression, we found that fathers’ depression was significantly associated with father-child closeness ( B = −0.37, p < .001) and conflict ( B = 0.28, p < . 05). More importantly, PSE functioned as a protective factor by reducing the negative associations between depression and fathers’ relationship closeness and conflict with their children. Implications include providing mental health assessments and support to low-income fathers. HS/EHS services or early childhood services that aim to promote positive parenting practices and develop healthy parent-child relationships among low-income fathers should give attention to strengthening PSE in fathers.

Parental Alienation Syndrome (Focus on Management)

Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is a process in which one parent (Aligned Parent) teaches his children to reject or antago- nize other parents (Rejected Parent) which results in disruption to the relationship between children and parents. PAS can be a central issue in child custody disputes and is a form of emotional abuse to children that can disrupt the process of growth and development of children and cause mental disorders in the children's future. Although there are differences of opinion about PAS, the impact can already be seen in children who are in the PAS situation. In severe PAS conditions, disorders in children can occur in the dimensions of behavior, emotions, and cognitive. In the long run, someone who has been exposed to PAS in childhood has a greater likelihood of experiencing depression, anxiety, and decreased quality of life in the future. Given the mag- nitude of the impact caused by PAS, it is necessary to do the management carried out simultaneously by mental health practition- ers, legal professionals and the court. Therapeutic interventions that can be carried out include Multi Model Family Intervention (MMFI), Family Reflections Reunification Program (FRRP), Overcoming Barriers Family Camp (OBFC), Parallel Group Ther- apy, and Family Bridges Workshop. There is no conclusion which intervention is the best. Ultimately, the goal of family therapy is to achieve and maintain healthy parent-child relationships.

Il video-feedback come intervento di supporto alla genitorialità per il trattamento delle difficoltà emotive e comportamentali

La teoria dell'attaccamento ha contribuito in modo importante al diffondersi di una serie di interventi rivolti alla diade genitore-bambino, la cui efficacia è stata dimostrata su base sperimentale, grazie ai rigorosi strumenti metodologici di cui dispone. Si tratta di programmi di intervento volti a sostenere lo sviluppo positivo della diade e in particolare a promuovere relazioni di attaccamento sicure e a ridurre il rischio di problematiche di tipo esternalizzante nei bambini. In questo contributo intendiamo proporre una rassegna ragionata dei principali interventi di video-feedback, orientati all'attaccamento e finalizzati oltre che al sostegno e alla promozione delle competenze genitoriali, anche al trattamento delle difficoltà emotive e comportamentali del bambino e dell'adolescente, definendone le caratteristiche principali e i contesti di applicazione. Data la centralità in questi programmi dell'uso del video, intendiamo anche delinearne l'evoluzione storica e il suo valore come tecnica specifica nel lavoro clinico in età evolutiva. Da ultimo verranno riassunti quelli che a nostro parere rappresentano gli ingredienti fondamentali delle procedure di video-feedback, evidenziandone operativamente alcune possibili linee di utilizzo strategico in coerenza con la prospettiva clinica cognitivocostruttivista. Nel far ciò verrà posta particolare attenzione al costrutto di disciplina sensibile (sensitive discipline), importante soprattutto lavorando con i disturbi esternalizzanti o in un'ottica di prevenzione.