Parental Preferences Research Articles

Transitioning learners from literacy instruction in local languages to English in Zambia: teacher practices and parental responses

ABSTRACT In Zambian primary schools, children begin learning to read in one of seven Zambian languages, transitioning to English as the language of instruction by fifth grade. Research on early-exit language transition in this context is limited. This case study aimed to examine this transition in four primary schools in Serenje, Zambia. Study participants included teachers, parents, and Ministry of Education officials. We found that phonics-based approaches were frequently used by grade 3 and 4 teachers to scaffold transition, as well as learner-centred approaches. A recurrent theme was the lack of sufficient teaching and learning materials to support transition. We found a great deal of support for initial literacy instruction in local languages among parents, in contrast with much of the literature on parental preferences, but parents identified the same challenges as teachers regarding the lack of materials to support language transition. We recommend the development of a specific transition curriculum for Grades 3 and 4, in alignment with the National Literacy Framework; corresponding alignment of the pre-service and in-service teacher training systems; and the provision by the government of sufficient materials specifically designed to support transition, including home reading materials.

Parent eHealth Preferences: Perceived Credibility and Personal Reactions to AbilitiCBT, BEAM, and Triple P Online

Parental eHealth needs and preferences are unknown. Evidence from in-person programs shows that programs that prioritize parent preferences have higher enrollment and adherence. Better knowledge of parental impressions and preferences based on current eHealth programs could help identify programs that are most in line with parental values, goals, and needs. Accordingly, the present study aimed to compare parental perceptions and preferences based on textual descriptions of three eHealth programs that have been prescribed to parents: AbilitiCBT (mental health-focused), BEAM (mental health and parenting-focused), and Triple P Online (parenting-focused). 177 parents of 0-5-year-old children in the United States were recruited through MTurk. Mental health symptoms in this sample were high (70.1% clinically concerning depression and/or anxiety symptoms and 74.6% clinically concerning parenting stress symptoms). Results showed that Triple P was less likely to be chosen than AbilitiCBT or BEAM; AbilitiCBT seemed more helpful to participants. There was considerable variability, and all programs were preferred by at least 17% of parents. Overall, the present study suggests that parents experiencing high psychological distress are less likely to choose to participate in a parenting program without mental health support and that it is important to offer diverse psychosocial service options to meet the needs of more parents. Further research is needed to identify specific program characteristics that parents prefer as well as parents’ rationale for their choices, which would help better tailor interventions to their preferences.

The effect of academic outcomes, equity, and student demographics on parental preferences for schools: evidence from a survey experiment

Abstract How does competition for school resources, along with racial and socioeconomic biases, shape parental preferences for schools? In this article, I investigate how school attributes affect preferences and choice, which sheds light on the processes that maintain school segregation. To do so, I conduct a survey experiment that explores parental preferences and the tradeoffs inherent in the process of school selection using school profiles that resemble those available on widely used education data platforms. I find that parents hold the strongest positive preferences for learning opportunities and overall school achievement compared to other attributes, including school racial and socioeconomic composition. Additionally, though parents prefer schools that have higher equity rankings, highly equitable schools are less desirable to parents than schools with more status and learning opportunities. However, parents also hold independent racial and socioeconomic preferences and —on average—avoid schools with more students of color and low-income students. Furthermore, results suggest they are largely unwilling to make tradeoffs that would result in schools with higher fractions of students of color or low-income students. Taken together, this study links prior studies on the segregating effects of educational data with literatures on school segregation by illustrating the specific dimensions that drive school choice.

Surfactants and the importance of informed consent: Nurturing culturally competent care in healthcare settings.

Culturally competent healthcare improves patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. Many drugs, dressings and implants have human or animal-derived content which may conflict with patients' religious beliefs, and may even have medicolegal implications. This cross-sectional study (anonymous web-based survey) was done to understand the informed consent process followed by paediatricians and neonatologists in India, their views regarding disclosure pertaining to the animal origin of exogenous surfactants to patients' families, and their willingness and ability to provide alternative surfactants based on parental preferences. A total of 114 neonatologists/paediatricians involved in neonatal care and using surfactants in their practice responded to the survey. Although 61(53.5%) neonatal care units stocked two or more brands of surfactant in their inventory, only 38(33.3%) units had both bovine and porcine preparations. Most (104, 91.2%) of the doctors always take parental consent before administering surfactants; but only a few (12,10.5%) said they always inform parents about its animal origin. None of the respondents offer parents a choice between bovine or porcine-origin surfactants, most (73, 64%) presuming that it would be irrelevant for the parents. However, many respondents (27, 23.7%) mentioned that they want to offer the choice to parents but are unable to do so because they do not stock both bovine and porcine preparations. Although most parents might agree to a life-saving medicine in emergency situations, this does not mean they do not want to be informed. Healthcare professionals should not have a dismissive attitude to parental belief systems. They must use the antenatal period to take the cultural/spiritual history and the necessary consent.

Investigating factors influencing decision-making around use of breastmilk substitutes by health care professionals: a qualitative study

BackgroundBreastfeeding is recognized as the gold standard of infant feeding and nutrition. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) of infants for the first 6 months of life. A variety of factors may impact breastfeeding practices in-hospital which may continue after hospital discharge, such as the use of breastmilk substitutes (BMS). The Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI), which aims to promote and support breastfeeding practices, established a target rate of 75% for EBF from birth to hospital discharge. Currently, this target is not being met at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH), indicating there is room for improvement in EBF rates. The purpose of this study is to explore health care professionals (HCP) decision-making around use of BMS and identify factors that drive the use of BMS with and without medical indications.MethodsIn this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with HCPs within TOH from January to June 2022. All participants had experience in maternity or postpartum care and were probed on factors influencing use of BMS at this institution. Interview transcripts were coded using an inductive approach.ResultsA total of 18 HCPs were interviewed including physicians, midwives, lactation consultants, and registered nurses. Multilevel barriers influencing the use of BMS were categorized into patient, HCP, and institution-level factors. Subthemes that emerged ranged from parental preferences, training differences amongst HCPs, to budget and staffing issues. Over half of HCPs were prepared to answer questions on EBF and were familiar with the BFI. Although most were supportive of this institution receiving BFI designation, a few providers raised concerns of its impact on parents who would like to supplement.ConclusionsSeveral modifiable factors influencing decision-making for use of BMS were identified. These findings will be used to inform unit leads, help identify effective strategies to address modifiable barriers, and develop tailored breastfeeding supports to improve EBF rates.

Parental willingness to pay and preference for human papillomavirus vaccine for girls aged 9-14 in subsidy scenarios in Shanghai, China

ABSTRACT Multiple studies have documented low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake among Chinese girls. It remains crucial to determine the parental willingness to pay (WTP) HPV vaccine for girls. We conducted a cross-sectional study recruiting 3904 parents with girls aged 9–14 in Shanghai, China, employing an online questionnaire with a convenience sampling strategy. Parental WTP, both range of payment and estimated point value, were determined for themselves (or wives) and daughters. HPV vaccine uptake was 22.44% in mothers and 3.21% in daughters. Respondents favored WTP ≤ 1000 CNY/138 USD for themselves (or wives), whereas showed increasing WTP along with valency of HPV vaccine for daughters (2-valent: 68.62% ≤1000 CNY/138 USD; 4-valent: 56.27% 1001–2000 CNY/138–277 USD; 9-valent: 65.37% ≥2001 CNY/277 USD). Overall, respondents showed higher WTP for daughters (median 2000 CNY/277 USD; IQR 1000–3600 CNY/138–498 USD) than for themselves (2000 CNY/277 USD; 1000–3500 CNY/138–483 USD) or wives (2000 CNY/277 USD; 800–3000 CNY/110–414 USD) (each p < .05). Furthermore, parental WTP was higher for international vaccine and 9-valent vaccine (each p < 0.05). Between two assumed government subsidy scenarios, parental preference for 9-valent vaccine remained consistently high for daughters (approximately 24% in each scenario), whereas preference for themselves (or wives) was sensitive to payment change between the subsidy scenarios. Using a discrete choice experiment, we found domestic vaccine was commonly preferred; however, certain sociodemographic groups preferred multivalent HPV vaccines. In conclusion, the valency of HPV vaccine may influence parental decision-making for daughters, in addition to vaccine price. Our findings would facilitate tailoring the HPV immunization program in China.

Evaluating educational apps for preschoolers: Differences and agreements between the assessments of experts, parents, and their children

Educational apps offer a wide range of opportunities to foster children's early competency development during preschool age. However, due to inconsistent evaluation criteria, comparing the educational value of different apps is challenging, and conclusive data on children's and parent's preferences in choosing educational apps for preschoolers is lacking. In the present study, we analyse differences and agreements between the assessments of educational apps by scientific experts, parents, and their children, and compare their assessments with children's actual usage times. In sum, N = 400 children aged between 51 and 75 months (M = 60.9; SD = 4.5) obtained tablets to use at home for 10 consecutive months, with educational apps specifically developed to foster preschool children's cognitive, mathematical, and linguistic competences. Scientific experts rated children's apps according to the evaluation criteria by Hirsh-Pasek et al. (2015), while parents and children rated the respective apps with school grades, data was assessed at t1 (after 5 months) and t2 (after 10 months). Results show that children are less likely to play with apps with a higher educational value and rate them lower compared to ratings by scientific experts. Significant associations were found between the app ratings of parents and their children. With these findings, the present study provides insights into children's app preferences und usage behaviour especially in the context of family environment. The results highlight the importance of thoroughly researching and considering the perspectives of both parents and children to design apps that are enjoyable and played for extended periods.

Exploring Factors Limiting Girls’ Participation in Primary School Education: A Case of Sumbawanga District, Tanzania

The study employed a mixed-methods research approach and specifically a cross-sectional survey design. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used in selecting 114 respondents and 10 public primary schools. The sample comprised head teachers, other teachers, school management committee (SMC) chairpersons, ward education co-ordinators (WEC), district education officer (DEO), faith-based organizations(FBOs) and non-governmental organizations(NGOs), parents, and pupils in school. Data were collected through questionnaires, interview schedules, documentary review and focus group discussions (FGDs). Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis to develop common themes, while quantitative data was analysed descriptively by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version20. The study established that the main factors that limited girls’ full participation in schools were orphan hood due to loss of parents, poverty, school factors, domestic activities and parental preferences given to male children in education. Based on the results, the study suggests that the government should promptly remove these barriers by implementing comprehensive educational initiatives to address prejudices and promote girls' education.

Parental Preferences and Non-Spatial Factors Influencing Home-to-school Distance in Urban India: Insights From Visakhapatnam

Parental Preferences and Non-Spatial Factors Influencing Home-to-school Distance in Urban India: Insights From Visakhapatnam

Parents' perceptions of care quality at child health centres: A cross-sectional study from Sweden.

To examine parents' perceptions of care quality at child health centres. Specific objectives were to examine parents' perceptions of the care received and the subjective importance of such care. Furthermore, to examine the relationship between parents' sociodemographic characteristics and the perceptions of care quality. A cross-sectional study. A random sample of parents of children born in Sweden in 2021 participated. Data were collected by the QPP-CHC questionnaire and analysed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The response rate was 19.4%. The targeted sample size of 210 participants was reached as 584 parents responded to the questionnaire. Parents' overall ratings of care quality at child health centres indicated optimal quality with mean values >3. However, various potential improvements areas were identified as needing additional information. These included dental care (m = 2.82), allergy prevention (m = 2.25), breastfeeding (m = 2.97), sleep (m = 2.83), the child's behaviour (m = 2.47) and the child's crying (m = 2.47). Also, parents rated suboptimal quality regarding that the care was based on healthcare routines rather than parental preferences and needs (m = 2.86). Parents born outside of the Nordic countries rated higher care quality than those born in the Nordic countries, as well as parents with a non-academic education. Parents want information based on their preferences and needs. Parent's perceptions of areas for improvement are new and important knowledge for registered nurses at child health centres. The findings indicate that parents feel that insufficient attention is given to areas of care that they perceive as important. Parents' perspectives on the care quality at child health centres is an important component of quality work and might lead to improvements in the care quality at child health centres. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies (STROBE) checklist for cross-sectional studies was used to guide reporting. The findings of this study suggests that parents feel that insufficient attention is given to areas of care that they perceive as important. Parents' perspectives on the care quality at child health centres provides important knowledge which can guide further development of care quality at child health centres. The findings indicate that a family-centred approach that integrates relational and routine-oriented nursing can be a way to ensure that the care is based on parents' preferences and needs. No patient or public contribution.

Parental health risk preferences, socio-economic status and offspring's alcohol behavior in South Africa

Alcohol consumption represents a widespread behavior with detrimental effects on both individuals and society. Understanding the factors influencing offspring alcohol consumption is crucial for identifying potential risk factors and informing prevention and intervention strategies. Existing empirical literature underscores the intricate interplay of biological, environmental, and social factors in shaping offspring alcohol consumption. Building upon this foundation, this study investigates the determinants of health risk preferences, such as alcohol consumption, among South African offspring, utilizing a dataset comprising the 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 waves of the National Income Dynamic Study (NIDS). Logistic regressions are employed to model the determinants of offspring alcohol consumption, while ordered logits are utilized to assess the impact of parental drinking on offspring drinking frequency. The findings indicate that parental drinking significantly influences offspring alcohol intake. Specifically, daughters' alcohol consumption is influenced solely by maternal drinking, whereas sons are affected by both parents' alcohol consumption. Furthermore, while daughters from currently disadvantaged backgrounds may exhibit higher tendencies towards alcohol consumption, those with mothers from such backgrounds and fathers from more affluent backgrounds are less likely to engage in such behavior. Additionally, the results suggest that male offspring from higher-income brackets are less likely to consume alcohol, yet sons of wealthy fathers are more likely to adopt such lifestyles.

Participation and psychosocial supports in the school setting for children with type 1 diabetes: A discrete choice experiment of carer priority

School-based diabetes care is an important consideration for clinicians and families alike. This Discrete-Choice Experiment describes parental preference for enhanced psychosocial and activity-focused supports over academic supports for children with Type 1 diabetes in Australian primary and secondary schools.

Parent needs and preferences for support during their very prematurely born child’s transition to school

ABSTRACT Children born very preterm (VP) are at increased risk for challenges in the school environment. This study aimed to understand the needs of parents of VP children for intervention and support in relation to their child’s transition to school, and to capture parent preferences for content and delivery of a transition to school intervention. Two hundred and twenty parents of 3-7-year-old children who were born VP (<32 weeks), living in Australia completed a cross-sectional survey. Results showed that over half of parents identified a need for assistance in supporting their child to be ready to start school. Intervention content aimed at improving parent-skills, child-skills and school factors were identified. Parents also identified key considerations and preferences for the format of a transition to school support programme. Parents of VP children have specific needs for support around their child’s transition to school, with key factors at the parent-, child – and school-levels.

Human Papillomavirus Perceptions, Vaccine Uptake, and Sexual Risk Factors in Students Attending a Large Public Midwestern University.

Background: It was to understand HPV vaccination patterns, uptake, perceptions, and sexual risk factors in students at a Midwest public university. Participants: Students were enrolled during the spring 2024 semester at the University of Iowa. Methods: A survey was developed and emailed to 28,095 students asking demographic, general and sexual health, and HPV-related questions. Results: The response rate was 4.9%, with 76% females and a median age of 22. The HPV vaccine uptake was 82%, with 88% recommending the vaccine. Parental preference was the main reason for being unvaccinated. The median age of sexual debut was 17 years, with a median of 2 sexual partners. Vaccination was associated with female, health science, sexually active, and COVID-19/influenza vaccinated students. Conclusions: HPV vaccine uptake at University of Iowa students is higher than the national and Iowa averages. Increased education regarding HPV vaccination is still needed, particularly in males, those not having sex, and those not receiving other vaccines.

Parent experiences and perceptions of twin cobedding in the NICU and home - A qualitative descriptive study

Aims and objectivesTo explore parents of twins’ perceptions of, and experience with, twin cobedding across Neonatal Intensive Care Units and home settings in Australia. BackgroundTwin cobedding has been used by many parents over the decades however, practices vary globally as research surrounding benefit and risk has not been definitive enough to inform guidelines. There is a significant gap in the literature exploring what is involved in parental preferences, experiences, and decisions related to twin cobedding. DesignA qualitative descriptive design, using reflexive thematic analysis. MethodsData were collected through ten individual, semi-structured interviews with parents of twins who had been admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and discharged home. This paper is reported following the COREQ guidelines and checklist. ResultsFour themes were identified which spanned the experience of pregnancy, premature birth, NICU admission, and home. ‘Bonding’ focused on parents' perceptions of the importance of the twin bond and the use of twin cobedding to facilitate it; ‘Influence’ explored how information, the internet, and community influenced twin cobedding perceptions and decisions; ‘Impact’ of the NICU/SCN and separation on cobedding decisions and experiences; and ‘Coping’ focused on how the twin workload on decisions regarding sleeping arrangements. ConclusionsThis study identifies that decisions made by twin families to separate or cobed their twins, go beyond simply following guidelines, or even role-modelling hospital practices. The decision is multi-factorial, yet ultimately centers around facilitating a bond, the relationship between their twins, and which method best supports their twins’ sleep/feed routine. Implications for the profession and/or patient careFamilies of multiples would benefit from improved guidance and advice whilst in hospital that considers their unique needs. It is important for healthcare workers to consider the decisions twin parents make surrounding sleeping arrangements within the context of coping with the twin workload. Patient or public contributionNo patient or public contribution.

Children’s sex composition and transition to higher-order birth among Turkish migrants in Europe and their non-migrant counterparts in Turkey: does having a son matter?

ABSTRACT A growing literature examines parental sex preferences for their children among migrant communities in Western countries and investigates whether migrants’ preferences align with those of the native population. Changes in preference may indicate cultural and structural assimilation into the destination country. We adopted a dissimilation from origins conceptual perspective and compared migrants’ behavior to that of their non-migrant peers in the origin country. We used the unique 2000 Families dataset, which includes multi-generational data on both early labor migrants to Europe and non-migrants from the same regions of origin in Turkey. The study provides the first examination of parental sex preferences for their children and fertility among Turkish migrants and their descendants in Europe and their non-migrant counterparts in Turkey. The findings show ongoing son preference among first-generation migrants and their children, thus supporting the theory of cultural persistence.

Assessment of Child, Parent and Operator Preferences towards the use of Papoose Board in Pediatric Dentistry: A Mixed Method Study

Introduction Protective stabilization techniques and physical restraints may be required for when the traditional techniques of behaviour management are ineffective. A papoose board (PB) is a safe stabilization device that is highly effective in managing uncooperative or anxious children. However, in the current era, the child, parent and operator preferences towards the use of papoose board needs to be explored. Material and Methods A 12-point questionnaire was administered to child, parents and operator. Preferences to the use of papoose board were assessed quantitatively as well as qualitatively based on the images of papoose board usage shown. Quantitative data was expressed as frequency with percentage. Qualitative data was assessed through thematic analysis. Results 30 children ( 3-12yrs ) and their parents (11- Fathers; 19- Mothers), 15 operators were included in this study. Mean age of the children was 7.7 ± 2.6 yrs. 70% of children did not prefer the use of papoose board as they were scared and did not want to be tied up. 53.33% of parents preferred the use of papoose board as they thought of it as a protective device for their children. 46.66% of operators preferred the use of papoose board for unco-operative children. Summary and Conclusions Children did not prefer the use of papoose board but parents and operators preferred the use of papoose board. Key Words Behavior management; Physical restraint; Papoose board

Exposure to the parents' speech is positively associated with preterm infant's face preference.

The parents' presence and involvement in neonatal care is a promising approach to improve preterm infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes. We examined whether exposure to the parents' speech is associated with the preterm infant's social-cognitive development. The study included infants born before 32 gestational weeks in two neonatal units. Each infant's language environment was assessed from 16-hour recordings using Language Environment Analysis (LENA®). Parental presence was assessed with Closeness Diary for 14 days during the hospital stay. Attention to faces and non-face patterns was measured at the corrected age of seven months using an eye-tracking disengagement test. A total of 63 preterm infants were included. Infants were less likely to disengage their attention from faces (M = 0.55, SD = 0.26) than non-face patterns (M = 0.24, SD = 0.22), p < 0.001, d = 0.84. Exposure to the parents' speech during the neonatal period was positively correlated with the preference for faces over non-face patterns (rs = 0.34, p = 0.009) and with the preference for parents over unfamiliar faces (rs = 0.28, p = 0.034). The exposure to the parents' speech during neonatal hospital care is a potential early marker for later social development in preterm infants. The exposure to the parents' speech during neonatal intensive care is a potential early marker for optimal social-cognitive development in preterm infants. This is the first study to show an association between parental vocal contact during neonatal intensive care and early social development (i.e., face preference), measured at seven months of corrected age. Our findings suggest that we should pay attention to the parents' vocal contact with their child in the neonatal intensive care unit and identify need for tailored support for face-to-face and vocal contact.

Effects of marketing claims on toddler food products on parents' product preferences, perceptions and purchasing intentions: an online experiment.

The retail market for toddler-specific packaged foods is growing. Many of these products are ultra-processed and high in nutrients of concern for health, yet marketed in ways that may make them appear wholesome. This study aims to assess parents' responses to claims on unhealthy, ultra-processed toddler food products and test whether removing such claims promotes more accurate product perceptions and healthier product preferences. Parents of toddlers aged 12 to < 36months (N = 838) were recruited for an online experiment testing four on-pack claim conditions: control (no claim); 'contains "good" ingredient'; 'free from "bad" ingredient'; and unregulated'child-related' claim. Participants were randomly assigned to one condition, then viewed images of toddler food products that varied in nutrition content and the claims displayed. Participants completed tasks assessing product preferences (unhealthy product displaying claim vs. a healthier option with no claim, across four food categories (banana bars, strawberry snacks, blueberry yogurt snacks and veggie snacks)), purchase intentions and product perceptions. Poisson regression (count variable) and linear regression (continuous outcomes) analyses were employed to test for mean differences by marketing claim conditions. For the overall sample, brief exposure to 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims increased participant's intentions to purchase unhealthy food products for their toddlers, but there was no clear evidence that 'contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims significantly impacted parent's preferences, purchase intentions and perceptions of toddler foods. However, certain claims influenced particular parent subgroups. Notably, parents with three or more children chose more unhealthy products when these products displayed 'contains "good" ingredient' or 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims; the latter claims also promoted stronger purchase intentions and enhanced product perceptions among this subgroup. Findings indicate that 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims on unhealthy toddler foods are of most concern, as they boost the appeal of these products to parents. 'Contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims showed limited effects in this study. Considering available evidence, we recommend claims should not be permitted on child-oriented foods, as they may promote inaccurate product perceptions and unhealthy product choices by parents, that can detract from their children's diets and health.

The Comparison of Different Instructional Styles in China and the United States on Early Education

Instructional styles play a critical role in shaping student outcomes. They determine the extent to which students participate in class. They also shape the resource allocation efforts assumed by instructors. While there are multiple studies which examine the implementation of different instructional styles, more research is needed to establish the variabilities in different instructional styles across different regions. Accordingly, this study examines the impact of instructional styles on early education, with a specific focus on China and the United States. In its comparative approach, it highlights the contrast between student-centered, constructivist teaching in the United States and the teacher-centered, Behaviorist approach in China. The comparison is intended to shed more light on the culture influences shaping teaching across different geographical settings. It provides a model of comparison for similar analyses in the future. The paper also discusses how societal and parental expectations shape instructional preferences and explores the effects of these styles on academic achievement, creativity, and critical thinking.