Parent-caregiver Relationships Research Articles

Healthcare Communication Experiences of Hispanic Caregivers of Childhood Cancer Survivors.

Interpersonal communication is a crucial component of the cancer experience that can contribute to managing cancer care and improving cancer survivors' and caregivers' quality of life. Cultural and contextual factors may impact Hispanic childhood cancer survivor (CCS) and parent caregiver relationships and communication. This study sought to describe the healthcare communication experiences of Hispanic parents with CCS, families, and medical providers. We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with Hispanic caregivers from a safety-net hospital in Los Angeles County. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish, audio-recorded and professionally transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach. Caregivers shared the importance and impact of medical communication when exploring the "first big talk" of the diagnosis, uncertainty about treatment, navigating multiple providers, therapeutic communication (i.e., providing emotional reassurance), and current and lingering effects of cancer. All caregivers shared "good communication" experiences, while others shared various barriers to communication, including a lack of understanding of the cancer diagnosis and caregiver experience, psychological challenges impacting communication, cultural and language differences, physical factors that limit communication, and young age of child impacting communication with caregivers. Our findings suggest that a strong interpersonal communication skill set for clinicians can contribute to managing cancer care and improving caregivers' psychological adjustment.

Parent-Child Contact during Incarceration: Predictors of Involvement among Resident and Nonresident Parents Following Release from Prison

Despite promising evidence that family contact during incarceration may reduce recidivism, less is understood about its role in postrelease parental involvement with children. Drawing on data from the randomized controlled trial of the Parent Child Study, this article examines in-prison parent-child contact in relation to postrelease parent-caregiver relationships, residence, and nonresidential contact. Predictors of contact include measures of visits, calls, and letters. We use ordinary least-squares regression, logistic regression, and multivariate negative binomial models to assess the outcomes. We show that in-prison visits and calls are associated with caregiver relationship quality and that more frequent visits increase the odds of both postrelease parent-child residence and nonresidential visits. Parent-child visits in prison predict parent involvement after release and may be vital to children and families over and above contact in general. Findings have implications for social workers, criminal justice practitioners, policy makers, and nonprofit agency staff working with incarcerated parents.

Multilingual language minority parents’ perspectives on their relationships with caregivers regarding the multilingual upbringing of the child: a large-scale exploration within childcare facilities in Flanders

ABSTRACT The literature strongly emphasises the importance of constructive relationships between parents and their children’s caregivers. However, minimal empirical research has investigated relationships between language minority parents and caregivers in childcare. This large-scale study seeks to fill this gap by exploring the quality of the language minority parent‒caregiver relationship with a focus on the child’s multilingual upbringing. Therefore, three domains that reflect the quality of parent‒caregiver relationships were assessed: (1) interpersonal connections, (2) home‒childcare continuity, and (3) language and multilingual upbringing advice parents receive from caregivers. The sample consists of 404 language minority parents, recruited from 85 childcare facilities (0–3 years). Results indicate that most parents reported positive relationships with their child’s caregiver with respect to interpersonal characteristics (communication and trust). In contrast, parents responded less favorably regarding issues pertaining to their language expectations, including whether multilingual upbringing advice, either solicited or unsolicited, was discussed. While language advice was not frequently given, when it was given, multilingual advice was more prevalent than monolingual advice, and one-parent one-language (OPOL) advice was common. Practical and policy implications are discussed.

Early Head Start dosage: The role of parent-caregiver relationships and family involvement

The present study examined predictors and pathways relevant to children's dosage in Early Head Start (EHS) using the dataset from the Early Head Start Family and Child Experiences Study (Baby FACES; Vogel & Boller, 2009–2012). Dosage was defined in two ways: (a) leaving EHS early, before age eligibility ended, and (b) the total length of EHS enrollment. This study first examined factors predicting children's dosage of EHS with a particular focus on parent-caregiver relationships captured when children were age 1. Second, this study examined a potential mediational role of family involvement on the association between parent-caregiver relationships and EHS dosage, controlling for child and family characteristics. Findings showed that children from families with higher risks were more likely to leave EHS early and were enrolled in EHS for less time. Children were less likely to leave EHS early when their caregivers reported positive relationships with parents when children were age 1. However, the length of EHS enrollment was not predicted by parent-caregiver relationships as reported either by parents or caregivers. Findings from mediation models showed that caregiver-reported positive parent-caregiver relationships were associated with the higher level of family involvement during EHS which, in turn, predicted both lower rates of early leaving and longer length of EHS enrollment. These results indicate that promoting initial positive parent-caregiver relationships and encouraging family involvement in EHS may be important for maximizing children's EHS dosage, which has been shown to be beneficial for the development of children in EHS.

Trust, responsiveness and communities of care: an ethnographic study of the significance and development of parent-caregiver relationships in Irish early years settings

ABSTRACTConceptualising early years settings as ‘communities of care’ reflects the narrative arising from recent ethnographic research conducted in the West and Midlands areas of Ireland. Drawing on the ethic of care as an underpinning theoretical framework, this article outlines the potential of early years settings to represent reliable, responsive fixtures in the lives of young families, offering a sense of belonging and validation for a range of stakeholders. This article outlines a selection of empirical findings, including the role of trust, the responsive nature of relationships, and the importance of open, honest communication, with implications for practice, for training and for future research.

'Touchpoints' by nurses: impact on maternal representations, child development, quality of mother-infant interaction, and mothers' perception of the quality of relationships with nurses.

To investigate the effect of implementing the Touchpoints methodology by nurses in the following variables: quality of mother-infant interaction; infant development; maternal representations of child temperament and mothers' perception of the quality of relationship with nurses. Quasi-experimental longitudinal study, including 86 child-mother dyads distributed equally for: Group with Intervention (GI) (n=43), Group without Intervention (GWI) (n=43). These groups belonged to paired samples according to the following criteria: maternal age; socio-economic class; family structure; child health; parents' physical or psychological health; twins; family's nationality; risk during pregnancy; baby APGAR. Paired samples with the same routine visits allowed comparing the impact of Touchpoints intervention on the above mentioned variables. The monitoring of the two groups took place in a period of between 11 and 24 months of children's life (four moments of assessment), being held two Touchpoints sessions in the GI at 12 and 18 months. Two Touchpoints interventions sessions were applied in the GI as follows: the first time, at 12 months; the second time, at 24 months, child age. The instruments used for data collection were: Schedule of Growing Skills II (SGS II); CARE-Index; Temperament Scale; Parent-Caregiver Relationship Scale - parents' version. Infant Locomotor development (p=.036) and maternal representations about the child and motherhood (Z=5.737; p=.019) improved in the GI. No significant results were found for mother-infant interaction in this direct comparison. Nevertheless, findings indicate that maternal sensitivity and infant cooperative behaviour increased from 12 to 24 months in the GI [t(41)=4.513; p<.001], whereas it decreased in the GWI (from 8.62 at 12 months to 8.40 at 24 months). The means of mothers' perceptions of Trust/Caring towards nurses in the GI were higher than in GWI after six months of the Touchpoints intervention [t(84)=2.146; p<.001; M_GI=34.07, SD=3.71; M_GWI=31.79], Collaboration/Partnership [t(84)=2.817; p<.001; M_GI=62.79, SD=4.809; M_GWI=59.89, SD=6.538] and Relational/Emotional [t(84)= 2.334; p<.001; M_GI=60.53, SD=3.838; M_GWI=58.30, SD=5.638]. Children at risk for developmental problems in the GI and GWI improved their development in Speech and Language (Z=4.772; p<.05; M_GI at risk =13.64 SD=.30 vs. M_GWI at risk=13.00, SD=.29), Hearing and Language (Z=4.341; p<.05; M_GI at risk=15.08, SD=.37 vs M_GWI at risk=14.0, SD=.36) and in Self-care Social (Z=4.0; p<.05 vs M_GI at risk=11.96, SD=.35; M_GWI at risk=11.46, SD=.34) after the intervention with Touchpoints. Also, maternal sensitivity and infant cooperative behaviour increased after Touchpoints intervention in dyads of 'children at risk' for developmental problems when compared to the dyads of 'children at risk without' these problems. The intervention using Touchpoints methodology by nurses had a positive effect on the following dimensions: infant development; maternal representations about the child and motherhood; maternal sensitivity and infant cooperative behaviour; perceptions of Trust/Caring towards nurses. This was particularly significant among children who were identified as having potential development risks. Further research is needed to better explain these findings.

Parent–Caregiver Relationships Among Beginning Caregivers in Canada: A Quantitative Study

Despite the importance of establishing meaningful parent–caregiver relationships, little is known about these dyadic relationships among beginning caregivers, who often feel insufficiently prepared to build successful alliances with parents. The present study examined the congruence between parents’ and beginning caregivers’ perceptions of their mutual relationship, as well as the role of five factors hypothesized to influence the quality of this relationship: type of child care center (for-profit or non-profit), caregiver teamwork, child’s age group, caregiver’s parenting experience, and caregiver’s professional experience. A sample of 166 parent–caregiver dyads reported on their perceptions of three indicators of their relationship quality: confidence, collaboration, and affiliation. Although parents and caregivers were generally satisfied with their mutual relationship, there was relatively little agreement between parents and beginning caregivers regarding relationship quality; the magnitude of the correlations between parents’ and caregivers’ perceptions of relationship quality was quite small. On average, parents reported higher levels of confidence and collaboration than did caregivers. Parents and caregivers had more similar perceptions of relationship quality in non-profit child care settings, with caregivers who were less experienced, and when caregivers did not work in teams. Additionally, parents reported closer parent–caregiver relationships in for-profit centers, when caregivers had more experience, and when caregivers worked in teams. These findings provide some insight about the factors that predict parent–caregiver relationship quality. They also highlight the need for increasing communication between parents and beginning caregivers in order to ensure parent–caregiver relationships that parents and caregivers perceive more similarly and positively.

Parent–caregiver relationship dyad in Greek day care centres

High quality early childhood education and care programmes encourage frequent, positive communication with and positive, effective relationships between parents and early childhood educators. The present study aimed to examine the adult relationship aspects of childcare and, more precisely, the parent/caregiver relationship dyad. The way in which parents are involved in early childhood education and care programmes provides one possible indication of the nature of the parent/caregiver relationships, yet previous research in Greece, on the topic of parental involvement, has indicated that Greek parents do not participate in their children's preschool centres and that little attention is paid to parents’ role in their children's care and education. Research data suggest that Greek parents and caregivers of the present sample cooperate and communicate superficially and that parent/teacher relationships have a long way to go toward becoming partnerships.

Assessment of Early Childcare Programs in Jordan

Research Findings: Forty-five child caregivers and 120 parents participated in this study to examine perceptions of childcare programs in Jordan. The researchers developed a questionnaire that consisted of 6 dimensions: health, education, parent–caregiver relationship, facilities, building/landscape, and playground. Moreover, interviews with 10 child caregivers and 20 parents were conducted. Results indicated that child caregivers expressed moderate satisfaction with the programs. In contrast, parents expressed lower satisfaction with the childcare programs. The results also revealed that caregivers and parents perceived the playground area as effective but found health and the parent–caregiver relationship ineffective. Practice or Policy: This study highlights the need to supervise childcare programs effectively and the importance of fostering a strong partnership between child caregivers and parents.

Relationship-Focused Child Care Practices: Quality of Care and Child Outcomes for Children in Poverty

Research Findings: Child care delivery practices promoting continuous, primary caregiver–child relationships (relationship-focused child care) were evaluated for 223 preschool-age children (45% African American, 55% Latino) attending child care centers serving low-income children. Both relationship-focused and non-relationship-focused centers were accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Children in relationship-focused programs received more sensitive, involved, and affectionate caregiving and were more engaged with their caregivers than children in comparison centers, but some differences were greater for African American children. Outcomes associated with relationship-focused care included greater parent-reported child compliance and closer parent–caregiver relations, but no consistent benefits for cognitive school readiness, receptive language, or child behavior problems were found. Follow-up assessments were completed 1 year later for 119 children who remained in their programs. Social and cognitive outcomes improved over time, but some changes were moderated by child race/ethnicity and center type. Over time, parents reported greater child compliance and caregivers reported better parent–caregiver relationships in relationship-focused programs. Practice or Policy: Some social benefits of continuous, primary caregivers were found, but children's cognitive competencies improved with sustained attendance at these accredited programs regardless of the relationship-focused practices.

Parent involvement in child care settings: conceptual and measurement issues

This paper discusses the conceptualization and measurement of Parent Child Care Involvement (PCCI) and questions whether PCCI should be included in high‐stakes quality ratings. It presents data on several PCCI measures, including one used by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the Parent Caregiver Relationship Scale (Elicker et al., 1997) and PCCI items from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale—Revised (ECERS‐R). Across these measures parents uniformly describe child care providers as welcoming and supportive even when other quality measures reveal significant problems. Providers display similar positivity when reporting their own PCCI efforts. A new author‐devised measure, Family–Provider Partnership, produces similar positivity bias. Nevertheless, Family–Provider Partnership scores were strongly associated with other measures of child care quality, including the ECERS‐R Infant‐Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), ratios and staff credentials. Such relationships justify inclusion of PCCI in child care quality ratings.

Family Caregivers of Impoverished Mexican American Elderly Women: The Perceived Impact of Adult Day Care Centers

Using an interview format, this exploratory study examined the narratives of 15 Mexican American primary caretakers and the perceived effects of adult day care centers (ADCs) on the lives of their elderly impoverished parents. Emergent themes and categories included (a) caretaking and gender differences, (b) resistance to nursing homes, (c) negative perceptions of White caregivers, (d) perceived positive effect of ADCs on the elderly parent's physical and emotional (depression) states and the elderly parent-caregiver relationship, and (d) the negative effects of stress associated with caregiving. The data also provide insight into complicated dynamics regarding the differential treatment of daughters and sons in Mexican American families. Pearlin's stress process model provides explanations for the buffering effects of ADCs reported by caregivers.

The Parent–Caregiver Relationship Scale: Rounding Out the Relationship System in Infant Child Care

The Parent–Caregiver Relationship Scale (PCRS) was developed and field tested as a measure of the perceived quality of the relationship between the parent and the child care provider ("caregiver") of an infant or toddler. PCRS items were based on review of the parent–caregiver relations literature and interviews with parents and caregivers. The parent and caregiver forms of the scale were administered to 217 parents and caregivers in child care centers and family child care homes. Analysis of the scale and its psychometric properties resulted in potentially useful subscales with adequate reliability. The PCRS showed predicted correlations with other child care context variables, providing preliminary support for its validity. The PCRS shows promise as a relationship-level measure for studies of infants, parents, and caregivers in the context of full-time child care.

The parent-caregiver relationship scale: A measure of the adult relationship in infant child care

This study aimed to investigate the effects of an interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented postnatal psychoeducation programme on postpartum depressive symptoms, social support and maternal role competence in Chinese first-time mothers.A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in the postnatal unit of a regional hospital in China. The intervention consisted of a 1-h education session before discharge and one telephone follow-up within the 2 weeks after discharge from the hospital. One hundred and eighty first-time Chinese mothers were randomly assigned to the study group (n = 90) or the control group (n = 90). Outcomes of the study included symptoms of postpartum depression, social support and maternal role competence which were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale-Efficacy subscale, respectively.Women receiving the postnatal psychoeducation programme had significantly fewer depressive symptoms (Mean [SD] = 7.61 [3.43] versus 8.96 [4.55]; t = −2.24; p = 0.026), higher level of social support (Mean [SD] = 65.44 [8.43] versus 61.82 [9.99]; t = 2.63; p = 0.009) and better maternal role competence (Mean [SD] = 35.87 [4.41] versus 32.79 [6.86]; t = 3.59; p < 0.001) at 6 weeks postpartum as compared with those who received routine postnatal care.An interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented postnatal psychoeducation programme may have the potential to facilitate the Chinese first-time mothers’ transition to motherhood. A larger trial is needed to test for therapist effects, a full economic evaluation, and whether the intervention is acceptable to staff and feasible to use in current practice.

The Development of Three Scales to Measure the Supportiveness of Relationships between Parents and Child Care Providers

The Caregiver Support Appraisal Scale-V (CSA-V), the Caregiver Support Appraisal Scale-P (CSA-P), and the Caregiver Supportive Behavior Scale (CSB) are 9, 15, and 45 item scales, respectively, which were modeled after existing social support measures and were designed specifically to measure aspects of the supportive nature of parent-caregiver relationships, including parents' feelings of being supported and parents' identification of caregivers as supportive resources. The present article describes the development of the CSA-V, CSA-P, and CSB with a pilot group of 22 parents of preschoolers and a random sample of 96 parents of toddlers in various child care settings. Factor analyses provided evidence of construct validity; further evidence in the form of convergent and divergent validity correlations was obtained by contrasting caregiver support responses with responses on companion measures assessing social support from other sources. Scales and subscales were found to possess high alpha internal consistency and test-retest reliability over a 3-week period. Interview data obtained from extreme groups based on caregiver support scale responses further validated scores on the CSA-V, CSA-P, and CSB and resulted in four characterizations of the parent-caregiver relationship: custodial, business/professional, friend, and family.

The interpersonal relationship between parents and caregivers in day care settings.

A structured interview measuring communicative behaviors and attitudes was used to determine the nature of parent-caregiver relationships. While frequent parent-caregiver communication was found, the data suggest minimal attempts to coordinate day care children's socialization processes. Implications for day care practice, policies, and research are discussed.