Positive Parenting Research Articles

Daily Associations between Parental Warmth and Discipline and Adolescent Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits.

Past longitudinal research has demonstrated links between parenting behaviors and adolescent conduct problems (CP) and callous-unemotional (CU) traits on macro timescales (e.g., years). Less is known about daily fluctuations in parenting behaviors and adolescent CP and CU traits, as well as their daily associations on a micro timescale. This study investigated thedaily reciprocal associations between three key dimensions of parenting behaviors-parental warmth, inconsistent discipline, and non-harsh discipline-and adolescent CP and CU traits, and explored potential moderating effects of person-mean levels of these parenting behaviors on within-person cross-day links. Participants included an ethnically-racially diverse low risk community sample of 86 adolescents (Mage = 14.5years, 55% female, 45% non-White) who completed daily reports over 1month regarding their perceived parenting behaviors and their own levels of CP and CU traits (2056 total observations). Results from dynamic structural equation modeling showed that at the within-person level, higher than average levels of inconsistent discipline were linked to higher than average levels of CU traits the next day. Among adolescents with higher person-mean levels of parental warmth and non-harsh discipline, daily parental warmth and non-harsh discipline were protective against CU traits. Moreover, among adolescents with higher person-mean levels of parental warmth, adolescent CU traits also evoked lower parental warmth the next day. These findings have significant implications for understanding daily fluctuations in parenting behaviors and adolescent CP and CU traits, and inform novel parenting-based interventions that capitalize on recent advances in mobile and other technology.

Effects and potential mechanisms of parental harsh discipline on adolescents’ relational aggression

Effects and potential mechanisms of parental harsh discipline on adolescents’ relational aggression

Games Design Frameworks: A Novel Approach for Games Design Pedagogy

The discipline of Games Design has surged in popularity in higher education as a route to industry for aspiring game developers. Notably, at the time of writing 138 UK Universities are now offering game design degrees, and many further education institutions. This growth is not only in volume but also in the diversity of students who enrol in these courses. Young learners, coming from various backgrounds and with differing levels of professional and academic experience, are drawn to games as a field of study. Games disciplines (such as Games Art, Design, and Programming) are often seen as more accessible than their comparative parent disciplines (such as Computer Science). This diversity presents both an opportunity and a challenge for educators: to develop teaching methodologies that not only cater to a wide range of experiences but also effectively prepare students for the creative and technical demands of the games industry. This paper introduces a pioneering design concept utilized in the pedagogy of game design, namely the use of game frameworks. A framework is a structure built in a video games engine, containing a pre-made, playable game experience, which students are taught to build upon and modify. Frameworks abstract and modularise fundamental, complex elements of the game creation process, allowing new learners to quickly become engaged with the iterative process of designing gameplay. It also allows educators to focus on a specific area of interest. For example, a student can focus just on the UI elements of the game for a whole module of study, without needing to have built the entire game first. This allows students to focus on the elements being taught, without introducing a significant amount of non-assessed content just to enable to learning. This position paper discusses our application of this approach, including the process of framework design, supportive assessment, successes and challenges.

Stepped-Care Web-Based Parent Support Following Congenital Heart Disease: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Early neurodevelopmental risks, compounded with traumatic medical experiences, contribute to emotional and behavioral challenges in as many as 1 in 2 children with congenital heart disease (CHD). Parents report a strong need for supports; yet, there remains a lack of accessible, evidence-based behavioral interventions available for children with CHD and their families. I-InTERACT-North is a web-based stepped-care mental health program designed to support family well-being and reduce behavioral concerns through positive parenting for children with early medical complexity. In previous pilot studies, the program was effective in increasing positive parenting skills and decreasing child behavior problems, with high parent-reported acceptability. This paper presents the protocol for the first randomized study of stepped-care parent support for families of children with CHD. This study will involve a single-site, 2-arm, single-blind randomized controlled trial to evaluate (1) the feasibility and acceptability of a web-based stepped-care parent support program (I-InTERACT-North) and (2) the effectiveness of the program in enhancing positive parenting skills and reducing behavioral concerns among families of children with CHD. Families will be randomized (1:1) to either receive treatment or continue with care as usual for 12 months. Randomization will be stratified by child's sex assigned at birth and baseline parent-reported child behavior intensity. Primary outcomes include positive parenting skills and child behavior at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. Secondary outcomes include parental mental health, quality of life, service usage, and feasibility including program reach and adherence. A sample size of 244 families will provide >95% power to detect an effect size of d=0.64. Based on attrition data from pilot studies, a target of 382 families will be enrolled. Parent reports of acceptability, adoption, and suggested adaptability of the program will be examined using cross-case thematic analyses. Primary efficacy analysis will be conducted using an intent-to-treat approach. Generalized estimating equations will be used to examine changes in positive parenting. Child behavior, quality of life, and parent mental health will be tested with repeated-measures analyses. Additional sensitivity and replication analyses will also be carried out. Recruitment began in February 2024, and recruitment and follow-up will continue until January 2029. We anticipate results in late 2029. This study aims to test the effectiveness of I-InTERACT-North web-based stepped-care parent support in improving positive parenting skills and reducing child behavior problems in families of children with CHD compared with a care as usual control group. Results will inform future clinical implementation and expansion of this program among families of children with early medical conditions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06075251; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06075251. DERR1-10.2196/64216.

Restorative Justice Practices in Social Work Focus on Repairing Harm and Restoring Relationships Rather than Just Punishing Offenders

This study investigates the role of restorative circles in promoting a positive school climate, fostering student and parent engagement, and building trust and empathy within school communities. Employing a descriptive research design, the research explores correlations between restorative justice practices and student behavior in schools, using a sample size of 185 participants drawn from students, teachers, and parents. Non-probability sampling methods and random selection ensured representation, while ethical standards were upheld throughout the study. The findings indicate a broadly positive perception of restorative circles. For promoting a positive school climate and resolving conflicts, the overall mean score was 4.30 with a standard deviation of 0.78, reflecting favorable and consistent views on the circles' contributions to improving school environments and reducing disciplinary incidents. In fostering student and parent engagement, the mean score was 4.22 with a standard deviation of 0.80, indicating strong agreement that restorative circles foster respect among students and strengthen community ties, though parental involvement was rated more neutrally. The impact of restorative circles on building trust and empathy yielded a mean of 4.15 with a standard deviation of 0.80, with strong agreement on the role of these practices in fostering empathy among students and creating a supportive school environment. The study concludes that restorative circles are viewed as effective in promoting positive school climates, improving conflict resolution, and enhancing relationships within the school community. However, areas for improvement include increasing parental involvement and deepening students' understanding of others' perspectives. Overall, the consistency of responses, as evidenced by the relatively low standard deviations, suggests strong support for restorative circles in school settings.

Development and validation of the Parental Affection/Warmth Scale (PAWS) in a sample of parents of 2- to 8-year-olds.

Parental warmth is a treatment target of emerging interventions for children with callous-unemotional traits. However, research to date has yet to examine the empirical structure of parental warmth toward young children due to the lack of clinically feasible, psychometrically sound, and comprehensive measures of warmth for this population. To address this knowledge gap, the present study developed and tested the psychometric properties of a self-report measure of parental warmth, the Parental Affection/Warmth Scale (PAWS). A sample of 899 parents of 2- to 8-year-old children (M = 4.77 years, SD = 1.95; 46.1% girls) was recruited online using Amazon's Mechanical Turk and CloudResearch. Exploratory factor analysis identified a novel three-factor structure: Warmth, Toddler-oriented Interaction, and Play-based Interaction, which was validated by a confirmatory factor analysis. However, only the PAWS Warmth subscale functioned consistently with theoretical expectations. PAWS Warmth scores were internally consistent; convergent with existing positive parenting scales; discriminant from negative parenting scales; and concurrent with child empathy, callous-unemotional traits, and conduct problems. Findings have implications for refining treatment targets for interventions focused on enhancing parental warmth. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Penanaman Nilai-Nilai Karakter Hindu Dalam Tradisi Ngendar Di Banjar Sekarmukti Desa Pangsan

The cultivation of character values is a very important matter in the development of a child's personality. Religious tradition is one way to teach the process of instilling character values in Hinduism. This is demonstrated by the Ngendar tradition in Sekarmukti Village, Pangsan Village, Badung Regency. The Ngendar tradition carried out by children in the Banjar Sekarmukti area, starts from H-2 Piodalan which is carried out on the day of Buda Umanis wuku Julungwangi or exactly 15 days before Galungan. The research approach is a naturalistic approach that answers research problems that require in-depth understanding and produces conclusions related to the Ngendar Tradition. The Ngendar tradition during the piodalan at Penataran Agung Sekarmukti Temple in Petang Badung Bali carried out by children as a source of learning will encourage the appreciation of character values based on Hindu religious teachings. The cultivation of character values carried out in the Ngendar tradition includes (1) Gratitude (Ktajñatâ), (2) Maintaining Purity and cleanliness (Saucam), (3) Friendship (Maitri), and (4) Care. Broadly speaking, the implementation of this Ngendar tradition has a positive impact on children such as increasing sraddha and bhakti, growing a sense of solidarity and cooperation and creating discipline in children.

A visual ethnography of parent-child interactions during ‘story-time’ in Chinese family settings

ABSTRACT Story-time serves as an interactive linguistic tool through which parents encourage their children to share narratives. Grounded in sociocultural and narrative theories, this study employed a visual ethnographic approach to explore how parents perceive and engage in story-time interactions within 33 Chinese families. Data were collected through video recordings of story-time sessions and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that story-time may function as a play-based educational tool, fostering positive parent–child relationships and supporting child development through activities such as child-centered reading and role-playing. Parent–child interactions were categorized into two primary types: those involving print-based materials and those centered around oral storytelling. Parents emphasized the importance of respecting their children’s preferences by allowing them to choose stories and by developing effective storytelling techniques to maximize the benefits of family story-time. Through these sessions, parents and children engaged in meaningful interactions that strengthened family bonds and contributed to the children’s holistic development.

Integrating Islamic Values and Sports for Children's Moral Development

The general background shows the need for an educational approach that integrates Islamic values and sports activities to shape children's morals holistically. The specific background underscores the importance of this research at TPQ Al-Mu’minun, which teaches the Qur’an and integrates sports into its curriculum. The existing knowledge gap is the lack of in-depth understanding of the impact of integrating Islamic values in sports on children's behavior. The aim of this research is to analyze how this integration affects the morals of children at TPQ Al-Mu’minun. The results show that sports activities such as archery and martial arts enhance children's discipline, responsibility, and ability to manage emotions. The novelty of this research lies in the holistic approach that combines physical and moral aspects in children's education. The implications of these findings indicate that character education that integrates Islamic values and sports can provide significant benefits in shaping positive morals in children, which in turn strengthens their self-confidence, respectful attitudes, and obedience in daily life. Highlights: The integration of Islamic values in sports contributes to the positive development of children's morals. Activities such as archery and martial arts enhance discipline, responsibility, and the ability to manage emotions. The post-activity reflection process deepens children's understanding of Islamic values in their daily lives. Keywords: Integration Islamic Values, Sports, Children's Morals, Character Education, Reflection

Maternal perceived safety and parenting practices with young children: a cross-sectional analysis from 15 low-income and middle-income countries

IntroductionSocial environments can influence parents’ caregiving capacities and the quality of nurturing care provided to children. These links, in turn, can shape children’s developmental outcomes over the life course. We...

The Efficacy of Technology-enhanced Behavioral Parent Training for Families with Low-income: Do Parent-centered Profiles Moderate Treatment Outcomes?

Behavior Disorders (BD) in children are common and have long-term impacts. Financially disadvantaged families are at a greater risk of having a child with an early-onset BD, but have more difficulty engaging in and therefore benefiting from Behavior Parent Training (BPT). Building upon the potential of technology-enhanced (TE) treatment approaches in addressing barriers to treatment engagement and effectiveness, TEs to one BPT program, Helping the Noncompliant Child (HNC), were tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 101 families with low income. The current study aimed to examine for whom TE-HNC vs. standard HNC is optimal at posttreatment by exploring how pretreatment, parent-centered profiles may moderate parenting and child outcomes at posttreatment. Latent profile analyses yielded four distinct parent-centered profiles. The profile membership differentially predicted treatment outcomes by group for positive and negative parenting, as well as child behavior intensity, but not child problem behavior. The heterogeneity of responses to standard relative to TE treatment models among underserved families may provide clues regarding the future personalization of BPT toward improved treatment efficacy.

Trauma-Informed Positive Parenting in Primary Care as a Tool to Support Child and Family Well-Being.

Factors affecting caregiver health and wellbeing, such as trauma and stress, can have significant negative impact on parenting behaviors and on subsequent child physical and mental health. Trauma-informed positive parenting (TIPP) is an effective tool that acknowledges and addresses a family's unique journey and needs, while promoting both nurturing caregiver-child interactions and appropriate limit setting. Primary care practices are in unique positions to provide such interventions, due to their long-standing and trusted involvement with families. Therefore, we propose that TIPP can feasibly be incorporated into the pediatric primary care setting to support overall family health and well-being. [Pediatr Ann. 2024;53(10):e360-e365.].

Analysis of Prevalence and Related Factors of Cyberbullying-Victimization among Adolescents.

Cyberbullying is an increasingly serious issue that negatively impacts the mental and physical health of adolescents. This study aims to report the prevalence rates of adolescent cyberbullying-victimization and its associated related factors, providing a scientific basis for targeted efforts to protect the mental and physical well-being of adolescents; Methods: From March to May 2019, there were 13 high schools and 33 middle schools in Yixing, with a student ratio of 2:1 between middle and high school. Using a random cluster sampling method, we selected four high schools and three middle schools based on this ratio, resulting in a total of 13,258 students. We conducted a survey using a self-designed questionnaire to investigate the experiences of adolescents with cyberbullying and victimization, comparing the differences in cyberbullying-victimization based on various demographic characteristics. Additionally, we employed a multifactorial logistic regression model to analyze the associated factors; Results: The rate of adolescents who declared themselves as cyberbully-victims is 2.9%. The results of the logistic regression analysis indicate that being male, having both parents working outside the home, experiencing occasional or large conflicts among family members, being subjected to punishment-and-abuse child discipline, always or often using social software (websites), enjoying playing single or multiplayer games, self-smoking, and self-drinking were associated with a higher likelihood of being a cyberbully-victim (p < 0.05); Conclusions: Adolescent cyberbullying-victimization is affected by personal, family, and social factors. Therefore, comprehensive strategies and measures are needed to intervene in this problem.

Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice: Policy Statement.

Reading together often with infants and young children strengthens their relationships with parents/caregivers at a critical time in child development, stimulating brain circuitry and early attachment. A positive parenting practice, shared reading helps build the foundation for healthy social-emotional, cognitive, language, and literacy development, setting the stage for school readiness and providing enduring benefits across the life course. Pediatric physicians and advanced care providers have a unique opportunity to encourage parents/caregivers to establish routines and enjoy conversations around books and stories with their children beginning in infancy. Research has demonstrated that parents read and children learn when pediatricians offer literacy promotion as a practical and evidence-based primary prevention strategy in primary care practice to support early brain and child development. This supports families with a strengths-based approach, shaping a child's life trajectory and helping mitigate stress and adverse experiences. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that pediatricians encourage shared reading beginning at birth and continuing at least through kindergarten as a strategy for supporting parents/caregivers, enhancing foundational relationships, promoting positive language-rich interactions, and helping families create a nurturing and stimulating home environment. The integration of literacy promotion into pediatric resident education is crucial to achieve that goal and thus is also essential. The AAP supports advocacy toward establishing public and private funding for diverse high-quality, developmentally appropriate children's books in the languages preferred by the family to be provided at pediatric health supervision visits to all children, but especially to children living in underresourced communities. This statement is supported by multiple AAP policies and implementation resources, including the accompanying "Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice: Technical Report."

Familias con Orgullo: Pilot Study of a Family Intervention for Latinx Sexual Minority Youth to Prevent Drug Use, Sexual Risk Behavior, and Depressive Symptoms.

Families are key in the healthy development of Latinx sexual minority youth (Latinx SMY), a group that experiences behavioral, mental, and sexual health disparities. Despite this, there are no family-based interventions for Latinx SMY and their families to prevent drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and depressive symptoms. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the preliminary impact (i.e., estimated effect sizes) of Familias con Orgullo (FcO) and examine its feasibility and acceptability among 30 Latinx SMY and their parents. Parents and adolescents were randomized to FcO or a control condition and assessed pre/post-intervention. Feasibility was measured based on session completion and effect sizes. Focus groups were conducted to evaluate intervention acceptability. Findings showed promising effects favoring FcO on parent-adolescent communication (d = 0.46) and parental involvement (d = 0.34). There were also promising effects favoring FcO on suicidal thoughts (OR = 0.75) and depression symptoms (OR = 0.69). Finally, 100% of the adolescents in FcO either continued to remain drug-free or transitioned from current use to no use (from baseline to post-intervention) compared to 74% in the control. Effect sizes for condomless sex, parental monitoring, and positive parenting were small. Session completion (above 80%) and focus group findings indicated strong feasibility and acceptability. FcO holds promise for reducing drug use and depressive symptoms and improving family functioning among Latinx SMY.

Using Collections in Specify to Manage Incoming Exchange Data

The Specify collection management system has been designed to accommodate data from multidisciplinary collecting institutions through a series of administrative units arranged in a hierarchical structure (Specify Collections Consortium 2024). Within the parent Institution, there can be multiple Divisions; within the parent Division there can be multiple Disciplines; and within the parent Discipline there can be multiple Collections (Fig. 1). While these administrative units were originally intended to house distinct collections within an institution, the model allows for flexibility and creativity in how they are implemented. The National Herbarium of Victoria’s (MEL) implementation of Specify utilises a single Discipline with 11 Collections. As well as storing data associated with sub-collections housed within the Herbarium—such as the Victorian Reference Set, which supports Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s plant identification service, and the Victorian Conservation Seedbank collection—Specify Collections are used to support curation workflows, including the management of data associated with specimens received as exchange material from other herbaria. The exchange of specimens between herbaria is a long-standing practice that enriches local collections and provides a form of insurance against damage or loss of specimens at the originating herbarium. Most consignments of exchange specimens are now accompanied by digital data, which helps streamline the data entry process and reduces the likelihood of transcription errors in the receiving institution’s collection management system. The National Herbarium of Victoria receives an average of 3000 exchange specimens from Australian and international herbaria each year. Due to resourcing constraints, incoming exchange specimens cannot always be processed upon receipt and are instead relegated to a curation backlog. Using the separate ‘Incoming Exchange’ Collection within Specify as a holding database for exchange data allows herbarium curators to upload the data at the time it is received as a guard against the loss or dissociation of specimen data, while allowing data validation work and the reconciliation of exchange specimens with their data to be postponed until staff resourcing permits, and after the specimens have been mounted. This workflow also allows exchange specimens to be reconciled with their data—and the data to be validated against the MEL data model—before being published into the main ‘National Herbarium of Victoria’ Collection, which forms our contribution to the Australasian Virtual Herbarium and, by extension, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Exchange data is uploaded to the ‘Incoming Exchange’ Collection via the Specify Workbench with the sending institution’s catalogue numbers recorded in the ‘Other identifier’ table for each record, but no MEL catalogue numbers applied. Once the exchange data is matched with a physical specimen and validated against the MEL data model, a MEL catalogue number is entered into the ‘collectionObject.CatalogNumber’ field. A stored procedure runs each night, transferring records with a CatalogNumber from the ‘Incoming Exchange’ Collection to the ‘National Herbarium of Victoria’ Collection, where they can be viewed by all user groups (Table 1).

A structural equation model of parenting and child's resilience after the earthquake in Türkiye.

This study investigated the relationship between parental psychological wellbeing, parenting, children's psychological difficulties, and prosocial behavior in Kahramanmaraş earthquake-affected families living in Türkiye in 2023. To this end, a mediation model was proposed for parental psychological distress that was hypothesized to exert an indirect effect on a child's psychological difficulties and prosocial behavior through parenting. Participants were 358 preschoolers between 4 and 6 years old and their one parent (father or mother) who completed a set of validated self-report surveys in a cross-sectional design study. Results showed positive associations between parental psychological distress and child's psychological difficulties but negative association with child's prosocial behavior. Furthermore, quality of parenting mediated the association between parental psychological distress and child's psychological difficulties and prosocial behavior. Our findings suggest that positive parenting may serve as a protective mechanism that mediates the association between parental psychological distress and a child's psychological difficulties and prosocial behaviors among families displaced by a natural disaster like an earthquake. These findings point to the need for supporting positive parent-child relationships in addition to decreasing the psychological distress of parents when exposed to potentially traumatizing events like this.

Childhood trauma and malevolent creativity in Chinese college students: The chain mediation role of positive parenting and resilience

This study explores the relationship between childhood trauma and malevolent creativity in college students and examines the chain mediation roles of positive parenting and resilience. Data is collected through survey questionnaires in a quantitative research approach. The SPSS macro-process 4.2 and SPSS 27.0 are used for data analysis. The sample consists of 860 participants from eight universities and vocational colleges across four provinces in China. The findings indicate that childhood trauma significantly predicts malevolent creativity in college students. Positive parenting and resilience mediate this relationship forming a chain mediation effect. Positive parenting enhances resilience which in turn reduces malevolent creativity. The results highlight the importance of positive parenting and improved resilience in mitigating the negative impacts of childhood trauma. This study confirms the significant influence of childhood trauma on malevolent creativity and highlights the chain mediation roles of positive parenting and resilience. The findings provide valuable insights for developing interventions to promote mental health and prevent malevolent behaviors among college students.

Preschoolers’ Attentional and Behavioral Regulation: Differential Pathways through Poverty and Parenting

This study explored specificity in the associations between early poverty and preschoolers’ behavioral and attentional regulation. In particular, there was an emphasis on delineating contextual factors (i.e., material hardship and household chaos) and parenting processes (i.e., maternal aggravation and maternal acceptance) as sequential mechanisms. The sample included 2850 families from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Results suggested that early poverty in infancy (age one) was associated with behavioral regulation and attentional regulation in preschool years (age five). Material hardship mediated the link between early poverty and behavioral regulation, while household chaos mediated the link between early poverty and attentional regulation. Additionally, maternal aggravation mediated the association between material hardship and behavioral regulation, while maternal acceptance mediated the associations between household chaos and attentional and behavioral regulation. Findings informed targeted interventions to alleviate hardship and chaos and promote positive parenting practices to bolster children’s self-regulation.

The Association Between Parenting Stress and Parenting Behaviors in Chinese Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Mediating Role of Parental Anxiety and Depression

ABSTRACT Background Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience heightened levels of parenting stress and more affective symptoms. Although the relationship between parenting stress and mental health has been extensively studied, limited understanding exists regarding parenting behaviors and related factors. This study aimed to explore the role of parents’ affective symptoms in the relationship between parenting stress and parenting behaviors among Chinese parents of children with ASD. Methods A total of 185 parents participated in one online survey, reporting parenting behaviors, parenting stress, depression and anxiety symptoms. Results (1) A higher level of parenting stress was associated with reduced positive parenting behaviors and increased negative parenting behaviors. (2). Parents’ anxiety and depression symptoms mediated the relationship between parenting stress and positive parenting behaviors. Conclusion Parenting stress has potential detrimental effects on parenting behaviors in Chinese parents of children with ASD through the mediation of parental depression and anxiety.