Parental Responses Research Articles

How Perceptions of Family Communication are Associated with Parental Responses to Their Young Adolescents

How Perceptions of Family Communication are Associated with Parental Responses to Their Young Adolescents

Perspectives from parents and clinicians on an ecology-focused approach to a group well-child care

BackgroundGroup well-child care (GWCC) is a novel group-based alternative for pediatric primary care visits that may allow for adaptations that better tailor to the needs of underserved populations. This qualitative study investigates clinician and parent perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of integrating ecology-focused content in GWCC using semi-structured interviews with GWCC parent-graduates and ecology-focused child clinicians.MethodsEcology-focused child clinicians were purposively sampled via email outreach. GWCC parent graduates were recruited via announcement in private Facebook groups. One-on-one interviews were conducted via videoconference, transcribed, and analyzed using an inductive approach. Parent and clinician thematic analyses were independently conducted to construct shared domains.ResultsNine GWCC parent-graduates and nine ecology-focused child clinicians were recruited into the study. Four overarching themes were constructed across parent and clinician responses: questions about clinical appropriateness, parent and clinician desires for educational support, influences of perceptions of nature on clinicians, and parent desires to develop independence and autonomy.ConclusionThis study identified nuanced considerations from the perspective of parents and clinicians for the implementation of ecology-focused content in the GWCC setting. Understanding the range of preferences parents and clinicians may have over ecology-focused content can help GWCC clinicians in designing ecology-focused preventive counseling materials.

Parental responses to child disability: Gender differences and relative earnings

Parental responses to child disability: Gender differences and relative earnings

Exploring the experiences of parents of gifted students regarding bullying

Bullying in schools remains a significant issue that affects all students involved, particularly the parents of gifted students. While the prevalence of bullying among gifted students has been examined, the experiences of parents whose gifted children have been victims of bullying have largely been overlooked. This study explores the bullying experiences of gifted students from the perspectives of their parents. A total of 13 parents of gifted students (11 mothers and 2 fathers) participated in semi-structured interviews to share their insights. Thematic analysis identified three key themes: victimization, factors influencing the bullying of gifted students, and parental responses to their children’s victimization. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding the experiences and reactions of parents of bullied gifted students in order to effectively prevent and address bullying incidents. The implications of this study are discussed in the context of strategies for preventing bullying victimization among gifted students.

Post-Traumatic Growth in Finnish Parents After the Traumatic Death of a Child

The traumatic death of a child may cause a wide range of emotional and behavioral responses in parents. In contrast to the extensive research and literature on the negative aspects of parental bereavement, the topic of post-traumatic growth in parents has received relatively little attention. This study addressed a need for further understanding post-traumatic growth in parents following the traumatic death of a child. To recruit participants, an online advertisement was posted on the websites of Finnish bereavement organizations, their member mailing lists, and closed discussion groups. Seventeen parents were interviewed in-depth over the phone. This qualitative involved an inductive content analysis of 401 narratives of post-traumatic growth in the grief experiences of participants. The post-traumatic growth identified featured positive attitudes toward life, positive attitudes toward death, enhancing one’s spiritual life, improvements in well-being, concern about others’ needs and wanting to help, and meaningful relationships. The findings highlight the increasing complexity of topics in spirituality and social work with bereaved parents

Child Pestering: Tactics Used and its Influence on Parental Response

Child Pestering: Tactics Used and its Influence on Parental Response

Developing a Machine-learning Algorithm for Classifying Parents’ Responses to Web-based Early Language Screening

Objectives: This study aims to address the issue of decreased reliability caused by inaccurate responses in web-based early language screening tests for infants and toddlers by proposing a method for detecting the sincerity of parental responses using a machinelearning algorithm. Methods: The language development screening test used in this study was developed so that parents could respond directly online, and a total of 453 parents participated in the screening test. Additionally, 226 randomly generated responses were created using a random number generator. According to the criteria set by the researchers, the response types were categorized into sufficient effort responses, insufficient effort responses, and randomly generated responses. Various machine learning algorithms, including XGBoost, LightGBM, and MLP, were used to train the response data, and the accuracy of the model was assessed using K-fold cross-validation. Results: Based on the established criteria, the responses were classified as 220 sufficient effort responses, 233 insufficient effort responses, and 226 randomly generated responses. The ensemble voting demonstrated a high accuracy of approximately 89.7% in detecting insufficient effort responses and randomly generated responses, effectively classifying parents’ insufficient effort responses. Conclusion: The machine-learning-based approach proposed in this study can be effectively utilized not only in web-based language screening for infants and toddlers but also in detecting insufficient effort responses in self-reported surveys. This approach is expected to enhance the reliability of research data and facilitate more accurate assessments.

Are ADHD trajectories shaped by the social environment? A longitudinal study of maternal influences on the preschool origins of delay aversion.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly attributed to neuro-cognitive deficits of genetic and/or prenatal/perinatal environmental origins. Sonuga-Barke proposed an alternative formulation, suggesting that ADHD behaviors are functional expressions of delay aversion-a strong motivational disposition to avoid or escape negative affective states evoked by delay. It is hypothesized that the strength of this disposition, though neuro-biologically rooted, is exacerbated by early negative social interactions during waiting-related encounters. This paper reports findings from an initial proof-of-concept study that specifically tests this hypothesis in a nonclinical sample. Preschoolers (n = 112; mean age = 46.2 months) and their parents from London, UK, and Hong Kong participated in a longitudinal study. The Parent-Child Delay Frustration Task (PC-DeFT) and two nonwaiting control tasks were administered at baseline. Children's performance, behavioral and emotional responses, and parents' reactions were observed. Teachers rated children's ADHD behaviors and delay aversion at baseline and follow-up (12-18 months later). At baseline, children's maladaptive performance and parental negative reactions during the PC-DeFT were correlated with each other and with teacher ratings of ADHD and delay aversion. Negative parental reactions during the PC-DeFT at baseline predicted an increase in teacher-rated ADHD behaviors at follow-up, but similar associations were not observed for baseline parental responses in the nonwaiting tasks. The increase in child ADHD symptoms associated with negative parental reactions at baseline was statistically mediated by delay aversion. These longitudinal effects were consistent across the UK and HK samples. The findings provide the first evidence that parent's negative reactions to preschooler's attempts to manage delay are associated with increases in ADHD behaviors overtime, and linked to delay aversion increases. They underscore the potential significance of the early social environment as a contributor to developmental trajectory of ADHD behaviors. Future studies with clinical samples over an extended time-frame using a range of different aversive environments (i.e. difficult tasks to complete) are indicated.

The Impact on the Quality of Life Among Newly Diagnosed Children With Coeliac Disease in Malta: A Child Versus Parent Perspective.

Background and objective Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition that is managed by following a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. Its incidence is rising, and no cure is currently available. CD in children has a significant impact on both patients and their caregivers as they adapt to a new lifestyle. Tools to assess the quality of life (QoL) of children with chronic conditions can shed some light on the disease burden on these families. This study aimed to evaluate the impact on the QoL for newly diagnosedchildren with CD, considering and comparing both the child's and caregivers' perspectives. It covers various themes including physical and psychological health, the impact on education, and the financial burden on affected families. We sought to evaluate the multidimensional impact of CD on the QoL of newly diagnosed children and their caregivers in Malta and to identify key disparities between child and caregiver perceptions. Different aspects of QoL were assessed, such as financial matters, emotional stress, and physical activity, which were quantified using the standardized KIDSCREEN and CDDUX questionnaire. The perspectives of different patient groups (classified by gender, symptomatology, and age) were compared, providing insights into the differences, which may help refine the management. Methods This was a retrospective study, collecting data from May 2022 to January 2023. All children under 16 years of agediagnosed with coeliac disease from January 2020 until January 2022 on the Maltese islands, were included in the study. Patients older than 16 years of age or those who had deceased were excluded from the study. The survey comprised the KIDSCREEN-52 and CDDUX questionnaires to assess the QoL. Results A total of 268 children fit the criteria for inclusion, with 134 (50%) children and 134 (50%) matched parent responses. CD was more common among females - 85 (63%) compared to 45 (34%) boys - and children living in the northern region of Malta: 44 (33%). There was no statistically significant difference in QoL when comparing the perspectives of parents vs. children, adolescents vs. young children, boys vs. girls, and asymptomatic vs. symptomatic patients. No significant financial burden was highlighted by the participants. Conclusions The QoL of children with CD in Malta is satisfactory. The perspectives of parents and children on the condition's impact on QoL mostly align, with differences mainly noted regarding the awareness of emotional and social struggles. Our findings suggest that an early CD diagnosis, irrespective of the symptomatology, age, or gender, does not negatively impact the QoL of Maltese children. The study also highlights that despite overall good health, providing adequate psychological, financial, and social support for these children and their families is important to achieve positive outcomes, together with raising further public awareness about this condition.

Exploring Attachment Differences Across the Contexts of Sports and Academics: A Qualitative Exploration of Child and Parent Experiences.

This study aimed to explore the nature of contextual differences in child-parent attachment relationships and examine how these experiences relate to children's psychological outcomes. A theoretically informed qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 15 participants across four groups of Taiwanese youths and parents, representing different contextual attachment combinations. Data were analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis approach, integrating both inductive and deductive methods. The findings revealed two key characteristics of secure attachment across contexts: (1) parental timely and sensitive responsiveness enhances children's openness to share personal thoughts, and (2) parental empathic and genuine concern fosters children's empathy. Conversely, insecure attachment across contexts was marked by (1) inappropriate parental responses reducing children's willingness to share their inner feelings, and (2) parental lack of empathy frustrating children and discouraging communication. In addition, parental beliefs about children's achievement behaviors (e.g., expectation primarily centered on academic achievement and viewing athletic achievement as an alternative pathway to higher education) and parenting practices (e.g., performance- vs. mastery-oriented achievement goals, conditional negative regard, and psychological control through invalidating feelings and demeaning the child) significantly influenced children's psychological outcomes, particularly in terms of basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration (autonomy and competence) across academic and sports domains. These findings advance our theoretical understanding of contextual attachment dynamics and provide practical insights for fostering optimal parenting strategies, particularly in academic and sport-related contexts.

Prenatal chronic inflammation and children’s executive function development

ABSTRACT Fetal inflammation, typically measured indirectly through prenatal maternal cytokine markers, has been shown to impact early childhood executive functions (EFs), which are central to later cognitive and life outcomes. Here, we assessed the impact of prenatal inflammation on EF developmental trajectories using direct placenta histopathology measures in 131 mothers who predominantly self-identified as Black (90.8% Black; 0.8% Asian American, 1.5% biracial, 0.8% Latinx, 3.1% White, 3.1% Missing). We found that placental measures of inflammation were associated with limited gain in EF development from 3 to 5 years old. In follow up analyses, we addressed whether screening questionnaires in infancy might aid in classification of infants as higher risk for subsequent EF problems. We found that parent responses to the Ages & Stages Questionnaire and the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile at 12 months predict the development of EF abilities in children exposed to chronic inflammation. These findings open promising opportunities for early screening of children at risk for poor executive functioning in children exposed to prenatal inflammation.

Measuring Parental Response Styles to Child Stress in Severe Pediatric Illness: A Validation Study.

Pediatric illnesses not only impose physical challenges on affected children, but also profoundly impact their emotional well-being. Understanding how parents respond to their children's psychological distress during medical experiences is crucial for enhancing the overall support provided to these families. This study evaluated the internal structure of the Parental Response Styles Questionnaire (PRSQ), designed to differentiate parental responses to psychological distress in children with pediatric illnesses. A sample of 701 parents of children with medical issues responded to the PRSQ, reporting their different emotional expressions and responses to their children's expressions of distress during the medical experience. Factor analysis confirmed, in three of the five subsamples, an internal scale structure consisting of four factors: apathy and dysphoria, irritability and rejection, overprotectiveness, and perceived maladjustment. The invariance analyses revealed that congenital heart disease and neurological disorders are more similar in function to each other than pediatric cancer. Parents of children with neurological disorders exhibited a notably insecure pattern of parental responsiveness. In pediatric contexts, parental responses to their children's emotional distress are significant factors in the process of adaptation. These responses can be measured, differentiated, and, ideally, managed by nurses and other healthcare professionals. The Parental Response Styles Questionnaire (PRSQ) is a promising tool for assessing parental reactions during their children's treatment, and its structure appears to be particularly robust across diagnoses such as pediatric cancer, congenital heart disease, and neurological disorders.

Implementasi Kuruikulum Merdeka Belajar di Sekolah Dasar

This research aims to analyze the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in Indonesian elementary schools, taking into account various factors such as teacher understanding, school readiness, and student and parent responses. The research method used is literature study, which involves reviewing written sources, such as scientific journals and proceedings, to obtain relevant data and information. The research results show that the Independent Curriculum provides freedom for teachers and students in the learning process, but its implementation is faced with various obstacles, including difficulties in developing appropriate learning and assessment tools. Nevertheless, the Merdeka Curriculum is expected to be able to improve the quality of education by creating a more flexible and relevant learning environment. This research concludes that continuous evaluation and adjustments are needed to overcome existing challenges, so that the Merdeka Curriculum can make a positive contribution to character development and the potential of students and creating the next generation who are ready to face global challenges.

Embodying Tourette’s Syndrome in Young Adult Literature

The article foregrounds two protagonists with Tourette Syndrome (TS) from contemporary Young Adult (YA) novels written by authors with TS. Grounded in the interdisciplinary field of cultural disability studies in education (CDSE), each protagonist is analyzed for (1) physical manifestations of TS (external depiction), (2) emotional reactions about having TS (internal depiction), and (3) the response of parents and family members, friends, acquaintances, and strangers (societal depiction). Both main characters navigate a world in which they are viewed as abnormal, frequently working through internalized feelings of freakery as they struggle to become more self-accepting during their adolescent years. Such depictions “engage with disability as an isolating, hurtful, and joyful experience” (Bolt 11), allowing for the complexities, tensions, contradictions, and general messiness of embodying TS. These depictions suggest that the authors seek to provide readers with an empathetic understanding of TS, while allowing the simultaneous contemplation of ways in which the embodiment of TS informs us about our culture.

Parental Ability to Detect Visual or Ocular Anomalies in Their Children

INTRODUCTION: Children typically depend on their parents to seek eyecare. Visual and ocular disorders can be challenging for parents to identify with the absence of apparent symptoms. This may hinder timely clinical diagnosis for children who need treatment. Parental awareness regarding common paediatric eye and vision anomalies along with eye care seeking behaviour has been reported, but there is a lack of studies that demonstrate parental ability to identify a presenting eye or vision disorder in their own children. AIM: This study aimed to determine parental ability to recognise a significant eye problem in their children. METHODS: The study population consisted of beneficiaries of Jaber Al Ahmad Armed Forces Hospital in Kuwait. Structured history and symptoms were taken from parents and comprehensive eye examinations were conducted for their children. Parental responses were compared to the eye test results to attain the study purpose. RESULTS: A total of 188 parental interviews and 188 eye test results data were collected from 137 parents and their children. Only a few parents (18.1%) were able to detect significant visual or ocular anomalies in their children. One-third of the parents (33%) were under the assumption that the visual or ocular status of their children was within the norm, while the eye test results showed that the children had clinically significant issues. Overall, 41.5% of the entire group of parents were wrong in their assumption about the children’s visual or ocular status. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that a large proportion of parents may not be able to identify a presenting eye disorder in their children. This emphasises the significance of routine eye examinations at an early age.

Adoptive Parent Advice: Challenges, Strategies, and Insights for Future Adoptive Parents

This qualitative study examines the advice from 2,131 adoptive parent responses, answering: “What do you believe is important for future adoptive parents to know?” An inductive thematic analysis yielded the following major findings: Various reasons adoption is challenging, strategies to confront challenges, and how adoption is worth the challenges. Parents describe adoption as difficult because (a) parents have unmet expectations, (b) it is time-consuming, (c) emotionally taxing, (d) there are limited resources, and (e) adopted children have behavioral challenges. Strategies for responding to challenges include (a) educating oneself, (b) establishing support, and (c) being patient. These findings suggest there are many absences in information for prospective adoptive parents, indicating the need for increased training, education, and knowledge dissemination. Implications for adoptive parents are delineated.

Parental norms and attitudes in Relation to Children’s sugar consumption − A mediation analysis of the “Are You Too Sweet?” intervention study

Parental influence on children’s dietary behaviour makes parents an obvious target for prevention strategies with nutritional foci. Mediation analysis is considered a valuable tool for understanding the underlying mechanisms of influence in intervention studies aimed at implementing behaviour change strategies.The present study used data from the multi-component cluster-randomised intervention “Are You Too Sweet?” with 153 Danish children (5–7 years) to explore mediating effects and role of parental determinants on added sugar intake in children.A pre-and post-intervention questionnaire evaluated parental knowledge, practices, self-efficacy, norms, and attitudes. Children’s dietary intake was estimated from a seven-day dietary record. Associations between children’s added sugar intake and parental responses and changes in responses following the intervention were evaluated using linear mixed models. Exploring potential behaviour change pathways of the intervention was done using mediation analyses.Children’s reduction in added sugar consumption was partly mediated by changes in parental norms and attitudes regarding limiting sugar-rich foods and drinks to special occasions. Parental knowledge of guidelines on the intake of sugar-rich discretionary foods and drinks increased as an intervention effect but did not demonstrate a mediating effect. No significant changes or mediating effects were found in parental self-efficacy or practices.The findings highlight parental norms and attitudes regarding restricting sugar-rich foods and drinks to special occasions as modifiable and a mediator for reducing added sugar intake in the “Are You Too Sweet?” intervention study.Trial registration: Retrospectively registered at ISRCTN: ISRCTN10409779.

Selective Feeding-An Under-Recognised Contributor to Picky Eating.

Background: Amongst children presenting to an interdisciplinary clinic with complaints of picky eating, we aim to identify the proportion who have underlying selective feeding and to describe its implications on growth and nutrition, as well as parental coping responses. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of first-visit consults from January 2020 to July 2022. Caregiver and child mealtime behaviours were assessed using the standardised Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire (CFSQ) and by direct observation. Caloric intake and oromotor skills were assessed by dietitians and speech therapists, respectively. Medical concerns were addressed by the doctor. Results: Out of 152 children referred for concerns of "picky eating", 128 (84.2%) were diagnosed as having selective eating, while the rest were diagnosed with delayed oromotor skills, poor appetite, oral aversion and 4 were deemed to have normal feeding behaviour for their age. Of the 128 selective eaters, 67 (52%) children had comorbidities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n = 59), attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) (n = 2) and underlying medical conditions (n = 6). The remaining 61 children were "otherwise well". Of the "otherwise well" children, 47.5% had inadequate caloric intake and 31% had failure to thrive. The commonest feeding style among caregivers of "otherwise well" picky eaters was authoritarian (36%). The majority (80%) of these caregivers also experienced helplessness. Conclusions: We conclude that picky eating in young children is a symptom with several possible underlying aetiologies. It is associated with nutritional consequences for the child and significant stress on caregivers. Being able to recognise those who need referral for specialist intervention and multidisciplinary management (such as selective feeding and delayed oromotor skills) would be important.

A Seat at the Table: Family Conferences for Infants with Neurological Conditions.

Objective: We aimed to characterize parents' perspectives on the value of and opportunities to improve conferences between parents of critically ill infants and the health care team. Background: The parent perspective on the value of family conferences in the intensive care unit is not well characterized. Methods: In this descriptive qualitative study, parents of infants with neurological conditions in the intensive care unit at a U.S. academic medical center completed longitudinal semi-structured interviews about their experiences making decisions and communicating with clinicians. Parents were included if they had an upcoming family conference to discuss goals of care or neurological prognosis. This secondary data analysis targets interview content about family conferences. Parent responses were characterized using a conventional content analysis approach. Results: Fifty-two parents of 37 infants completed 123 interviews. Parents described valuing when clinicians (1) provided space to process emotions, (2) prioritized "big picture" discussions about serious decisions, (3) dedicated time to parent questions, and (4) responded to parent concerns and made an effort to foster consensus. Parent-identified opportunities for improvement included: (1) having the team assume responsibility for calling regular meetings, (2) prioritizing attendance of consistent and supportive team members, and (3) summarizing meeting content for parents and documenting discussions for clinicians. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that parents of infants with neurological conditions value family conferences as an important venue for communicating with the health care team. Future studies should explore the feasibility and impact of regularly scheduled family conferences, attendees dedicated to parent support, and accessible meeting summaries on therapeutic alliance, parent well-being, and communication quality.

Building capacity for inclusive informal STEM learning opportunities for autistic learners

BackgroundResearch is needed to better understand the specific challenges for autistic learners in informal STEM learning settings. This study aimed to increase inclusion in STEM museums, with a larger goal of increasing the impact (i.e., learning and application of knowledge during and after visits) of informal STEM learning settings for autistic youth. We conducted an online parent attitudes survey with 93 parents of autistic adolescents and 53 parents of adolescents in the general population to better understand the experiences of autistic adolescents when visiting STEM-related museums. Parent responses informed professional development training for museum staff at four partner museums, which taught strategies to better support autistic learners. Then, autistic adolescents (n = 20) and their parents were randomly assigned to visit one partner and one control museum. They were asked to report their experiences through an online survey and semi-structured interviews.ResultsParticipants who completed the parent attitudes survey indicated significantly lower inclusion, engagement, and general impact of STEM museum visits among autistic adolescents compared to the general population comparison group. Parents of adolescents who visited partner and control museums reported higher STEM impact during visits to partner museums; however, parent-reported inclusion, engagement, and general impact did not differ significantly between partner and control museums. Qualitative analysis identified four themes (Spectrum of Museum Impact; Adolescent-Environment Fit; Barriers to Engagement, and Barrier Breakers), providing context for quantitative findings.ConclusionsFindings underscore the need for increased inclusion for autistic individuals in informal STEM learning environments like museums. This project demonstrated feasibility of professional development training of forward-facing staff and identified several themes that should inform future efforts to improve inclusion in informal STEM learning settings.