Parental Perceptions Of Children Research Articles

Pandemic and Online Learning: Is it for protection from Covid-19 or Health destruction? Voice of Indian parents

Background: Globally, 1.2 billion children are out of the classroom due to schools shut across the world owing to the covid -19 pandemic. Besides children, parents too struggled to embrace this sudden change and adapt to online learning. The present study aimed to assess parental perception towards children's online learning during the covid-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was carried out among 550 parents of children attending classes online during the covid-19 pandemic. Data were collected after obtaining ethical approval using a self-report questionnaire on parental perception of children's online learning and online class characteristics. Collected data were analyzed using R software. Results: Out of 550 parents approached online, only 300 had responded to the survey with a response rate of 55%. More than half of the children attended online classes using an android mobile phone (71.1%), in the Zoom app (52.2%) with an average duration of online classes was 180±30 minutes/day. Mean parental perception towards online learning score was16±6.3. Parents (80.3%) were concerned about children's general health, including vision, due to continuous exposure to screen in online classes quandary, they agreed (93.3%) online learning protects children from covid infection. Parents were interested in traditional classroom teaching and only 26.1% perceived online learning was effective. Conclusion: Parents, students are eagerly waiting to get rid of home-schooling. The success of online learning relies upon the cooperation of the school authority, teachers, parents, and students. The school education department has a great scope to understand and attend to parental concerns, also maintaining healthy schooling once shut down get relaxed. Also, it should focus on strengthening and supporting home-schooling and helping children balance physical and psychological health.

Parents’ Perception of Child Weight Status, Risk Factors and Health Concern of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review

The increased prevalence of childhood obesity is becoming a public health concern as it is related to numerous health implications. Parental perception of child’s weight status is an important factor for reducing childhood obesity burden. Parental perception of the risk factors and health outcomes of obesity are important in prevention and management of childhood obesity. However, previous reviews focused mainly on parental perceptions about healthy behaviors to reduce the burden of childhood obesity. Thus, this systematic review was carried out to investigate parental perceptions of their child weight status as well as risk factors and health concern of childhood obesity. A systematic review was conducted and was reported in accordance with PRISMA statement on studies between 2012 and 2017 through a variety of database like CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Cochrane Library. However, out of 2,334 articles identified, only 35 studies were included, which originate mostly from high-income countries. The results revealed that parents’ misperception rate of their children’s weight varies from 9.6% to 90%, while parents perceptive that only genetic factors, non-vegetable-consumption or low physical activity and environmental factors are the key risk factors of childhood obesity. Hence, parents’ of obese children estimate their children to be at risk at having hypertension, heart disease, depression, and diabetes. In conclusion, parents have difficulty in correctly perceiving the obesity status of their children. Health care workers should be aware of the parents’ wrong perception of their children’s weight status. The result of this review may be used to develop an effective intervention programs aimed at reducing the burden of childhood obesity which focus on the parental perception of the risk factors contributing to childhood obesity.

Parental perception of child's weight, their attitudes towards child's dietary habits and the risk of obesity

BackgroundThe association between parental perception of child’s weight and their attitudes towards his/her dietary habits has not been reported yet. This study aimed to assess the association between parental underestimation of child’s weight and parental attitudes towards child’s dietary habits.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of SENDO cohort participants recruited between January 2015 and June 2020. All information was collected through online questionnaires completed by parents. We calculated crude and multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for unhealthy attitudes towards child’s dietary habits associated with parental underestimation of child’s weight.ResultsSixteen percent of children in the SENDO project had parents who underestimated their weight. Parents who underestimated their child’s weight status were more likely to have unhealthy attitudes toward his/her dietary habits [OR 3.35; 95% CI (1.71–6.53)].ConclusionsParental underestimation of child's weight was associated with unhealthy attitudes towards child’s dietary habits. Pediatricians and public health practitioners should pay attention to the parental perception of child’s weight to identify parents who underestimate it as an at-risk group in which to inquire about lifestyle and dietary habits.

Spotlight on Maternal Perceptions of Child Behavior: A Daily Diary Study with Child Welfare-Involved Mothers.

Research has documented a variety of factors—including stress, attributions, and anger—that may increase parents’ risk for child maltreatment, but most of this research is based on low-risk, community samples of parents’ perceptions about themselves and their children. Moreover, parents are usually asked to provide self-reports wherein they summarize their general impressions distal from actual parenting. The current study employed experience sampling methods with a high-risk sample. Mothers identified for child maltreatment reported on their stress and coping as well as their perceptions regarding children’s misbehavior and good behavior using end-of-day surveys for up to four weeks. Only maternal reports of children’s good behavior based on personality and mood were relatively stable; stress, coping, and reports on child misbehavior varied considerably across days, implying that contributors to daily fluctuations in these factors could represent intervention targets. Although maternal perceptions of misbehavior severity, anger, and negative attributions were interrelated, only anger about misbehavior related to maternal stress levels. Mothers who reported better coping perceived their child’s behavior more favorably that day and were more likely to ascribe positive behavior to the child’s mood and personality. Current findings highlight the importance of positive coping mechanisms in parental perceptions of children; such findings should be replicated to determine how to maximize parental resources that reduce child maltreatment risk.

How to encourage parents to let children play in nature: Factors affecting parental perception of children's nature play

Despite the benefits to the children playing in nature being widely recognized, merely enhancing children’s interest in nature will not effectively increase their nature experience because children’s activity nowadays is increasingly under their parents’ supervision. Therefore, to identify effective strategies, it is important to understand parental perceptions of children’s nature play and their influencing factors. We explored the impact of factors including parents’ childhood nature experience (CNE), nature relatedness (NR), degree of urbanization, and socio-demographic characteristics using the results of an online survey of 516 parents in Japan. We found that most parents acknowledged the importance of children’s nature play; however, they expressed their concerns about barriers against it, particularly related to incidents such as accidents and strangers. Although NR and CNE were the key contributors to parents’ understanding of nature’s benefits, these factors did not decrease their fear of incidents involving their children. Parents were highly unlikely to permit their children to play without adult supervision in green spaces, except parks; this was contrary to the freedom they were given in their childhood. This is probably due to parents’ heightened concerns about incidents, even though actual incident rates have been reduced. Therefore, a key approach to encourage parents to allow their children to play in nature is to mitigate their anxiety about incidents. Since parks are the only green space where most parents nowadays allow their children to play unsupervised, enhancing the quality of natural elements in the parks will enrich children’s interaction with nature, while alleviating parents' uneasiness about children's safety.

Impact of an Online Parenting Support Programme on Children's Quality of Life.

The study aims to describe the parental use of an online parenting support programme, the ‘Open Window to Family’ (JAF) and to evaluate its impact on perceived children’s quality of life (QoL). This programme makes online resources available to support positive parenting. The study included 363 parents (nintervention group = 142) who completed measures to evaluate their children’s QoL. The results suggest that using the programme for a longer time and accessing more information/services are positively related to the perception of utility but not to the frequency of use. The programme proved to be more useful for specific difficulties and to search for specific information. We found high levels of parental perception of children’s well-being, both physical and psychological, and lower values in social support and relationships with peers. No differences were observed between the total QoL of children in the intervention group and control group. The differences in the dimensions of QoL are due to interaction with the level of education of the mother: mothers with higher education reported higher physical well-being, social support, relationships with peers, and school context. Guidelines are suggested to enhance the accessibility of this type of programme as well as enhance its impact on parents and children.

Parental Perceptions of Child and Adolescent Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Argentina.

BackgroundAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have implemented preventive measures towards reducing infections. These conditions can affect the mental health of children and adolescents; however, this has not yet been fully explored.ObjectiveThe aim of the study was to analyze changes in symptomatology and positive emotions in Argentine children and adolescents since the onset of isolation, based on parent/caregiver report. We analyzed differences based on gender, age, socioeconomic status (SS) and containment measure (and their interactions); their associations with symptomatology and positive affect of parents/caregivers; and the moderating effects of sociodemographic factors on these associations.MethodA total of 1205 caregivers responded to a survey regarding the mental health of children and adolescents under their care. They also completed a set of anxiety, depression, and affect measures about themselves.ResultsA considerable proportion of parents/caregivers perceived changes in their children’s and adolescents’ mental health compared to before the pandemic. Increased levels of anxiety-depression, aggression-irritability, impulsivity-inattention, and dependence-withdrawal were reported, as well as alterations in sleeping and eating habits, and a reduction in positive affect. Differences were observed according to their age and containment measure. Finally, we found correlations between parents/caregivers’ symptomatology and that reported about their children or adolescents. Gender, age and SS moderated some of these relationships.ConclusionsContinued monitoring of child and adolescent mental health is a fundamental necessity. We recommend the implementation of early intervention strategies to prevent the escalation of serious mental health problems, particularly in those groups that have been most adversely affected since the onset of the pandemic.

Latino Parents' Perspectives on the Life Trajectories of Mixed-Status Children.

Many immigrant Latino families have one or more U.S. -born children and at least one foreign-born non-citizen child. Contextual theories of human development would argue that these siblings would have very different life trajectories by virtue of their citizenship status or lack thereof. However, researchers and policy-makers know very little about the home environment of mixed-status siblings. Using data from in-depth personal interviews, this study examined parental perceptions of the life trajectories of mixed-status youth. Participants were 18 parents with at least one adolescent between the ages of 10–18 residing at home. Using grounded theory, two broad themes emerged. First, parental perceptions of children’s life trajectories based on citizenship and parental concerns’ regarding their children’s mixed legal status. Within this first theme, parents discussed youth’s educational opportunities, job prospects, health care access, and travel restrictions. The second theme was parental concerns’ about their children’s citizenship status; ambivalence about migrating to the United States; and coping with fear and anxiety. Results of this study highlight the pervasive influence of immigration policies and practices on family dynamics and child development, the risk they posit to youth development and individual family resilience.

Readiness to change among parents of overweight/obese children in Saudi Arabia and influencing factors.

Pediatric overweight/obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Accurate parental perception of children's weight status is crucial in preventing and tackling this issue. Despite the consistent increase in prevalence of the childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia, the role of the parents is not well described. This study aims to explore Saudi parents' readiness to change the lifestyle of their overweight/obese children and the barriers facing it. Through a cross-sectional design, 362 parents of overweight/obese children attending King Abdulla Specialized Children's Hospital were selected and requested to fill a predesigned questionnaire reflecting their perception about their children's weight status and their preparedness to change their lifestyle. A Chi-square test was used to verify significance. A P value of <0.05 was considered an indication of significance. Among all overweight/obese children (n = 362), obese children formed 39.5 and 22.7% had morbid obesity. Only one half of the parents (49.7%) had correct perception about their children's weight. Correct perception increases significantly with an increase age of the child and in the presence of family history of diabetes, P < 0.05. Only 68.9% were worried about body weight of their children, the percentage was significantly higher in younger parents; parents with obese children and with a positive family history of hypertension P < 0.05. In total, 83.1% of the worried parents proceeded to preparation and action stages; the percentage was significantly higher among parents whom their children were free from identified comorbidities, P < 0.05. Misconception about real weight status of overweight/obese children is common in Saudi parents. Parents who have correct perception and worried about health status of their children are more likely to take actions. The first step in controlling children's obesity is to educate parents about how to recognize the real weight status of their children and to be aware about the health-related problems of obesity.

Association between Parents' Perceptions of Preschool Children's Weight, Feeding Practices and Children's Dietary Patterns: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Parental perception of children’s weight may influence parents’ feeding practices, and in turn, child dietary intake and weight status; however, there is limited evidence generated for preschoolers. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate associations between Chinese parents’ perceptions of child weight, feeding practices and preschoolers’ dietary patterns. Participants (1616 parent-child pairs) were recruited from six kindergartens in Hunan, China. Parents’ misperception, concern, and dissatisfaction on child weight were collected through a self-administered caregiver questionnaire. Parental feeding practices and children’s dietary intake were, respectively, assessed using the Child Feeding Questionnaire and a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Linear regression models were applied to analyze associations between parental weight perceptions, feeding practices, and preschooler’s dietary patterns. Associations between parents’ weight perceptions and dietary patterns were significant only among underweight children. Regardless of child weight status, parental weight underestimation and preference for a heavier child were positively associated with pressure-to-eat. Parental weight concern was positively associated with restriction in normal weight child, but this was not found in other weight groups. In conclusion, Parents’ misperception, concern, and dissatisfaction about child weight are associated with parents’ feeding practices and may influence preschoolers’ dietary quality, but the relationships vary by children’s actual weight status.

Sleep disturbance and psychological distress among hospitalized children in India: Parental perceptions on pediatric inpatient experiences.

Investigate parental perceptions of children's sleep disturbance and psychological distress associated with an inpatient stay in a low-resource hospital setting. Demographic and validated survey instruments were adapted for administration to parents of children in the medical wards of a tertiary hospital in India. Parents proficient in English, Hindi, Tamil, or Telugu with a child age 4-12 years admitted for at least 48 h were eligible to participate. All respondents completed the Factors Affecting Sleep Disturbance Scale, Sleep Duration Questionnaire, Sleep Disturbance Scale, and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Data analysis entailed descriptive statistics, correlations, and multivariate regressions to analyze relationships across responses on demographics, sleep disturbance, and psychological distress. Among 105 parents with hospitalized children, most had children 4-6 years old (54%), including 65% boys and 35% girls. Parents reported that their children slept overnight in the hospital for a mean of 8.3 ± 1.6 h. Children 4-6 year old (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 0.63, p = .004), dyspnea (RRR = 8.73, p = .04), previous hospitalization (RRR = 9.17, p = .03), nighttime procedures (RRR = 2.97, p = .03, and missing home (RRR = 6.78, p < .001) were the factors affecting sleep. Factors affecting psychological distress was nighttime medication administration (RRR = 4.92, p = .01). Sleep disturbances correlated with psychological distress (r = 0.56; p < .01). Sleep disturbance and associated psychological distress in hospitalized children were widely reported by parents queried in this low-resource hospital setting. Nurses can lead efforts in ameliorating sleep in hospitalized children, including partnering with stakeholders on measures to reduce sleep disruption. Child-centered interventions may improve sleep hygiene and decrease psychological distress among children.

Parental Distress and Perception of Children's Executive Functioning after the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy.

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and the consequential first italian lockdown to minimize viral transmission, have resulted in many significant changes in the every-day lives of families, with an increased risk of parental burnout. This study explores the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in Italy on parental distress and parental perceptions of children’s executive functions (EFs). Participants were 308 Italian parents with children between 4 and 17 years of age; they were recruited through online advertisements on websites and social media, and they were given an online survey. The measures were: the balance between risks and resources (BR2) and the executive functioning self-report (EF). Findings of the study suggest that the most distressed parents perceived their children as less competent in EF, highlighting a cognitive fragility on attention, memory, and self-regulation (Pearson correlation coefficient, p < 0.05); significant differences were found between parents of children exhibiting typical and atypical patterns of development (ANOVA, p < 0.05). The study reinforces the need to provide families with psychological aid to support parental competence in restrictive lockdown conditions.

Single stage first layer biosynthetic cellulose dressing versus non-adherent gauze management in paediatric burns

IntroductionPaediatric burn is a common emergency presentation with a variety of treatment options available. Major parental concerns include pain, healing and scarring, in addition to high parental anxiety. Epiprotect® is a biosynthetic cellulose-based sheet, applied as a single stage first layer contact dressing following initial debridement. Materials and MethodsA retrospective case control comparison study was carried out in our hospital on 28 patients, 14 with biosynthetic cellulose, and 14 with non-adherent gauze. Pain and parental anxiety were measured by the parental perception of child’s pain on Wong-Baker faces pain rating scale and STAI-6 questionnaire (compatible with the STAI-S scoring system) respectively in first clinic visit during outer dressing change. Scar score was calculated using the Vancouver scar scale (VSS). ResultsPatients in both groups had a similar demographic and clinical distribution of location, mechanism of burn, first aid, surface area and depth of burn. Pain and parental anxiety were significantly reduced in the cellulose dressing group (p = 0.0001). Time to complete healing were similar in both groups. Mean VSS scar score was 4 (1–5) in cellulose dressing group compared to 6 (4–11) in non-adherent gauze group (p = 0.0463). Two patients developed hypertrophied scar in non-adherent gauze group. The mean number of outpatient clinic visits in cellulose dressing group were 2.5 (1–5) as compared to 3 (2–6) in the non-adherent gauze group (p = 0.0607). ConclusionSingle stage first layer application of biosynthetic cellulose dressing is associated with reduced pain, parental anxiety, and improved scarring. The dressing is safe and can be applied to patients with superficial and mixed depth burns.

The Effectiveness of Bilateral Alternating Tactile Stimulation for Improving Sleep in Children with Sensory over-Responsivity

The objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of Touchpoints™ on improving sleep in children with sensory over-responsivity, specifically, whether wearing Touchpoints™ on the sleep setting before bed would improve children’s sleep. Using three study phases (baseline, intervention, and withdrawal), eight young children with sensory over-responsivity and sleep deficits wore Touchpoints™ on their ankles before bed during the intervention phase. Data was collected using an activity tracker to measure sleep latency, sleep duration, number of nighttime awakenings and sleep efficiency as well as parent report. Results indicated that participants did not demonstrate any significant changes in sleep efficiency, sleep duration, or number of awakenings but demonstrated a significant improvement in sleep latency. Parents also reported improvement in their child’s sleep quality. Results suggest Touchpoints™ before bedtime may decrease the time it takes for children with sensory over-responsivity to fall asleep and improve parental perceptions of children’s sleep quality.

The Impact of Early Childhood Factors on Dental Caries Incidence in First Permanent Molars: A 7-Year Follow-Up Study

The development of dental caries in first permanent molars has been extensively investigated. However, studies are inconclusive in determining the influence of contextual and individual factors on dental caries incidence in this group of teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of contextual and individual factors on dental caries incidence in first permanent molars. This 7-year cohort study was conducted with children (1–5 years of age) who had been assessed initially in a survey performed in 2010. Dental caries was assessed at the baseline through the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). Contextual and individual variables were collected at baseline and included the presence of cultural community centers in the neighborhood as well as demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and biological characteristics. A multilevel Poisson regression model was used to investigate the influence of individual and contextual characteristics on dental caries incidence in first permanent molars (relative risk [RR] and 95% confidence interval [CI]). Of the 639 children examined at baseline, a total of 449 were reassessed after 7 years (70.3% retention rate). Children who lived in neighborhoods with cultural community centers had a lower risk of dental caries in first permanent molars at the follow-up (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.62–0.99). Children from families with a low income (RR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–1.76) and poor parental perception of children’s oral health (RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.18–2.06) were associated with a higher risk of dental caries in first molars. In conclusion, individual and contextual determinants showed an important role in the incidence of caries in first permanent molars.

Physical and psychosocial quality of life in children with overweight and obesity from Sri Lanka

BackgroundWhile childhood obesity is rising rapidly in South Asia, there is limited research on quality of life (QoL) of children with overweight and obesity from the region. This study assessed physical and psychosocial QoL in Sri Lankan children attending a specialized obesity clinic, from both children’s and parents’ perspective, and modifiable social factors affecting QoL.MethodsWe performed cross-cultural translation of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™) 4.0 (Child-Self Report and Parent-Proxy forms), and assessed self-reported and parental-perception of physical and psychosocial QoL in 8–12 year-olds with overweight and obesity (n=110), referred for obesity management at a tertiary-care children’s hospital in Sri-Lanka. Body mass index (BMI) and pre-selected social factors affecting QoL were also assessed. Data were analyzed by non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation).ResultsThe median physical QoL was lower than psychosocial QoL (78.1vs81.7, p=0.032) and physical QoL was inversely correlated with BMI. Parental-perception of children’s physical and psychosocial QoL correlated with child-reported QoL, but was lower. Being bullied (p=0.001) and not getting regular exercise (p=0.031) were associated with lower psychosocial QoL. Both physical and psychosocial QoL were lower in children having difficulties in finding suitable clothes (p< 0.001).ConclusionsChildren with overweight and obesity from Sri Lanka appeared to have greater impairment of physical QoL than psychosocial QoL. Higher BMI, bullying, lack of regular exercise and lack of suitable clothing, negatively affected QoL. Potential strategies to improve QoL include promoting regular exercise, addressing bullying and promoting availability of children’s clothes in larger sizes to fit children with overweight and obesity.

Parental perceptions of actual and ideal body weight in early childhood prospectively predict adolescent perceptions of actual and ideal body weight among a low-income population.

To examine the longitudinal associations between parental perceptions of their child's actual weight (PPCA = parental perception of child's actual) and ideal weight (PPCI = parental perception of child ideal) in early childhood and the child's own perceptions of their actual weight (APA = adolescent perceived actual) and ideal weight (API = adolescent perceived ideal) during early adolescence among a low-income population. Using a longitudinal study design, 136 child/parent pairs were asked to assess the child's actual and ideal weight using figure rating scales. When children were 4-7years old, parents reported on their perception of their child's weight; when children were 10-12years old, the child reported on their own weight perceptions. Actual weight, ideal weight, and the difference between ideal and actual weight perception were assessed at the respective timepoints. Regressions were used to examine the relationship between parental weight perceptions (PPCA and PPCI) and later adolescent weight perception (APA and API). On average, PPCI was higher than PPCA, whereas API was lower than APA. We found a positive relationship between PPCI and API (β = 0.309, p = .029). PPCA was positively associated with API (β = 0.304, p = .015) and marginally positively associated with the APA (β = 0.242, p = .077). However, the difference between PPCI and PPCA did not predict either APA or API. Parental perception of their child's weight may relate to the adolescent's weight perception, particularly ideal weight. However, several null and marginal associations suggest that parental weight perception in early childhood may not be the most salient factor in determining weight perception in early adolescence. Level III, well-designed longitudinal cohort study.

Parental Perceptions of Children’s Weight Status in 22 Countries: The WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: COSI 2015/2017

Introduction: Parents can act as important agents of change and support for healthy childhood growth and development. Studies have found that parents may not be able to accurately perceive their child’s weight status. The purpose of this study was to measure parental perceptions of their child’s weight status and to identify predictors of potential parental misperceptions. Methods: We used data from the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative and 22 countries. Parents were asked to identify their perceptions of their children’s weight status as “underweight,” “normal weight,” “a little overweight,” or “extremely overweight.” We categorized children’s (6–9 years; n = 124,296) body mass index (BMI) as BMI-for-age Z-scores based on the 2007 WHO-recommended growth references. For each country included in the analysis and pooled estimates (country level), we calculated the distribution of children according to the WHO weight status classification, distribution by parental perception of child’s weight status, percentages of accurate, overestimating, or underestimating perceptions, misclassification levels, and predictors of parental misperceptions using a multilevel logistic regression analysis that included only children with overweight (including obesity). Statistical analyses were performed using Stata version 15 1. Results: Overall, 64.1% of parents categorized their child’s weight status accurately relative to the WHO growth charts. However, parents were more likely to underestimate their child’s weight if the child had overweight (82.3%) or obesity (93.8%). Parents were more likely to underestimate their child’s weight if the child was male (adjusted OR [adjOR]: 1.41; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.28–1.55); the parent had a lower educational level (adjOR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.26–1.57); the father was asked rather than the mother (adjOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 0.98–1.33); and the family lived in a rural area (adjOR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.99–1.24). Overall, parents’ BMI was not strongly associated with the underestimation of children’s weight status, but there was a stronger association in some countries. Discussion/Conclusion: Our study supplements the current literature on factors that influence parental perceptions of their child’s weight status. Public health interventions aimed at promoting healthy childhood growth and development should consider parents’ knowledge and perceptions, as well as the sociocultural contexts in which children and families live.

Arab’s children’s influence on the buying process: comparing parent and child perceptions

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the perception levels of the child and parents towards the child’s influence on different product categories and stages of the family buying process in an Arab country Oman.Design/methodology/approachOn the basis of the research gap identified from the literature, two separate bilingual questionnaires (parent and child) in English and local language (Arabic) were developed. The research commenced with a pilot study on 10 school students followed by contact with school authorities requesting to conduct a survey on school students 8–12 years of age and data collection through the survey on the students and their parents (either father/mother) during September-November, 2017–2018. Data analysis was made through an independent sample t-test and confirmatory factor analysis was made using AMOS 24.FindingsA model was proposed incorporating three product categories as noisy, quiet and loud goods and perceptions of Arab parents and children were examined for the three stages of the family buying process. The findings of the study reveal that significant differences exist in child-parental perceptions on the child’s influence in the search, evaluation and final buying stages. The mean score among the three product categories was highest for noisy goods (Mean = 3.21, SD = 0.817) while in the case of buying stages, the mean of the final buying stage was highest (Mean = 2.11, SD = 0.514).Research limitations/implicationsMore research studies are required in the Arab context, especially bringing in the social status of parents to justify their different shopping behaviours. This analysis is based on the perceptions of the tweenager segment, adding perceptions of the teenage segment could generate better research implications.Practical implicationsThe research will serve as a base to consumer marketers in understanding distinct features of Arab tweenagers towards different products and will aid them in designing appropriate marketing strategies targeting parents and children in the Arab region.Originality/valueAfter an extensive review of the consumer literature, it is assumed that almost no research study has been made examining parent-child perceptions towards the different product categories and buying stages targeting traditionally oriented families in the Arab region.

Associations between parental perception of- and concern about-child weight and use of specific food-related parenting practices

Little is known about the association between parental perception of their child's weight as well as parent's current and future concerns regarding their child's weight and a broad range of food-related parenting practices. This study used the first wave of cross-sectional data from the longitudinal Family Matters study to examine the relationships between parental perception of child weight status, parent concern for child's current and future weight and parent use of different types of food-related practices. Parent/child dyads (n = 150) were recruited from primary care clinics. Multiple regression models were fit to examine cross-sectional relationships between parental perception and concern for their child's weight and food-related parenting practices (food restriction, pressure-to-eat, food control, food monitoring, nutrition education, and parent modeling). Parents who perceived their child to be underweight had lower scores for food restriction than parents who perceived their child to be overweight. Parents who reported concern about their child's current weight reported higher scores for food restriction and monitoring than parents who were not currently concerned. Parents who reported concern about their child's future weight status reported higher scores for pressure-to-eat and monitoring than parents who were not at all concerned about their child's future weight status. The relationship between parental perception of child's current weight status and parent use of food restriction, pressure-to-eat, and overall food control was modified by child sex. Overall, results suggest that parent's perceptions of and concerns about their child's current and future weight status were correlated with their feeding approaches. Health care providers may want to consider providing anticipatory guidance for parents that have concerns about their child's weight by teaching them about positive, evidence-based ways they can engage in healthy food-related parenting practices.