Parental Problem Solving Research Articles

Exploring overparenting in summer camp: adapting, developing, and implementing a measure

ABSTRACTThis study explores the development and validation of a measure of overparenting (OP) within a common youth leisure context, residential summer camp. A sample of 1140 parents (primarily mothers (89%)) of campers from 18 residential camps completed an online questionnaire pertaining to behaviours commonly associated with OP including parental support, control, and parental anxieties associated with nature and people in nature. The results of the multi-phase confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the measure indicated convergent and discriminant validity of the finalized measure. Additionally, the modifications generated from the multi-phase CFA process provided preliminary evidence of an additional component of OP, excessive parental problem solving, and suggested the need for more investigation of the multiple dimensions of parental behaviour and beliefs that may contribute to OP in leisure settings.

Rumination decreases parental problem-solving effectiveness in dysphoric postnatal mothers

BackgroundPostnatal depression is associated with poorer parenting quality, but there are few studies examining maternal-specific cognitive processes that may impact on parenting quality. In this study, we examined the impact of rumination on parental problem-solving effectiveness in dysphoric and non-dysphoric postnatal mothers. MethodsFifty-nine mothers with a infant aged 12 months and under, 20 of whom had a Beck Depression Score II (BDI-II) score ≥ 14, and 39 who scored less than 14 on the BDI-II were randomly assigned to either a rumination or distraction condition. Problem-solving effectiveness was assessed post-induction with the “Postnatal Parental Problem-Solving Task” (PPST), which was adapted from the Means Ends Problem-solving task. Parental problem-solving confidence was also assessed. ResultsDysphoric ruminating mothers exhibited poorer problem-solving effectiveness and poorer confidence regarding their problem-solving compared to dysphoric distracting, non-dysphoric distracting, and non-dysphoric ruminating mothers. LimitationsA self-report measure of depressed mood was used. ConclusionsRumination may be a key mechanism associated with both depressive mood and maternal parenting quality during the postnatal period.

Parental problem-solving skills, stress, and dietary compliance in phenylketonuria.

Parents of 30 children with phenylketonuria (PKU) who were classified as being in good dietary control (compliant, measured as within the medically acceptable range of blood phenylalanine levels of 2-10 mg) or poor dietary control (noncompliant, measured as either below or above medically acceptable 2-10 mg blood phenylalanine levels) engaged in verbal and written problem-solving situations under conditions of both high and low time-pressure induced stress. Overall, compliant parents gave higher quality verbal and written problem-solving solutions than noncompliant parents. Stress reduced the quality of problem solving in both compliant and noncompliant parents, but even under high stress, compliant parents demonstrated better problem-solving abilities than noncompliant parents. The potential importance of these findings for preventive intervention in PKU families is discussed.