Parental Self-regulation Research Articles

"Daddy comforts me"-Young Swedish children's perspectives on their family relations before and after their parents' participation in a parenting programme.

Despite extensive research assessing parenting support, there is a lack of knowledge about the perspectives of the youngest children. In this study, we explored changes in preschool children's emotional and relational experiences at home before and after their parents participated in a parenting intervention, the Triple P parenting programme. Nine children in total were interviewed, aged 3-6 years, whose parents participated in a group parenting intervention. The interviews were conducted during the first and final group sessions attended by the children's parents. Data were analysed qualitatively, using a longitudinal approach, resulting in a deductive mapping of the children's statements onto four themes, based on the parenting intervention's main objectives. Further, changes in content for each of the four themes were assessed. Before the programme, children described conflicts with siblings, parents' negative emotions, and punitive parenting behaviours. After the programme, sibling conflicts remained, but parents' negative emotions decreased and parent threats and violence ceased. Positive family interactions and quality time increased, along with experiences of tenderness and being comforted. Parents also implemented new strategies such as verbal management and more comforting or soothing behaviours. Clinical implications of the results include promoting positive sibling relationships, emphasising parental self-regulation, encouraging empathy and reconciliation, and highlighting the importance of spending quality time with children. These findings contribute to a better understanding of children's perspectives and provide implications for clinical practice and future research.

Parental self-regulation and engagement in emotion socialization: A systematic review.

Parental emotion-related socialization behaviors (ERSBs)-including reactions to emotions, emotional expressiveness, and emotion-related discussion-can foster or hinder children and adolescents' self-regulation development. Toward a goal of identifying specific mechanisms by which children and adolescents develop skillful, adaptive self-regulation or, conversely, self-regulation difficulties and psychopathology, it is crucial to identify processes that shape and maintain parental engagement in ERSBs. This present study is a systematic review of the associations between parental self-regulation and three different ERSBs (reactions to emotions, emotional expressiveness, and emotion-related discussion), building upon research that posits parental top-down self-regulation (i.e., emotion regulation, executive function, and effortful control) is critical for parenting behavior. Fifty-three studies were identified for inclusion. All but four of these studies were cross-sectional, limiting conclusions that could be drawn regarding whether parental self-regulation is associated with ERSBs over time. Studies used a wide range of methods (e.g., self-report, physiological assessment, observer ratings) to assess both parental self-regulation and ERSBs, rendering a meta-analysis premature. Across studies included in the review, parental self-regulation was positively associated with supportive ERSBs and negatively associated with unsupportive ERSBs. Future directions for research and implications for translational efforts are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Mindful parenting and its association with the prosocial behaviors of children

This paper explores the concept of mindful parenting and its association with prosocial behaviors in children. Mindfulness, characterized by non-judgmental, present-centered awareness, has been linked to enhanced emotional regulation and stress reduction. The application of mindfulness to parenting, as outlined in the mindful parenting model, includes aspects such as attentive listening, nonjudgmental acceptance, parent self-regulation, emotional awareness, and compassion.While mindful parenting interventions have gained attention, the paper emphasizes the need for a more thorough exploration of mindful parenting in the context of the parent-child relationship. The study reviews existing literature, noting that mindful parenting can positively impact parent-child interactions, reduce stress, enhance parenting satisfaction, and foster children's prosocial behaviors.The paper also delves into the developmental aspects of prosocial behavior in children, defining it as self-motivated, voluntary actions intendedto benefit others. Prosocial behaviors, such as sharing and cooperation, have been observed in early childhood and are associated with positive outcomes like well-being and academic performance.The association between mindful parenting and children's prosocial behaviors is examined, with evidence suggesting that parents practicing mindful parenting contribute to greater prosocial behaviors in their children. Studies indicate that mindful parenting interventions can lead to improved child outcomes, reducedbehavioral difficulties, and increased social competence.Furthermore, the paper discusses the broader impact of mindful parenting on various age groups, including adolescents. Mindful parenting has been associated with lower internalizing and externalizing symptoms, emphasizing its positive influence on youth mental health and overall well-being.In conclusion, the paper highlights the importance of incorporating mindfulness into parenting interventions to enhance their effectiveness. The findings underscore the positive outcomes associated with mindful parenting, advocating for its integration into parenting programs for a more comprehensive and holistic approach to child development.

Perbedaan Penyesuaian Diri Anak dalam Belajar di Rumah Saat Pandemi COVID-19 Ditinjau dari Dukungan Sosial Orang Tua dan Self Regulation Anak di Kota Gorontalo

In this study, the goal to be achieved was to determine differences in children's adjustment to learning at home during the Covid 19 pandemic in terms of parents' social encouragement and children's self-regulation in the city of Gorontalo. The approach used in this research is quantitative. The method used in this study is a survey method using data collection techniques through questionnaires. There are three questionnaires used, namely the child's self-adjustment questionnaire, the parent's social encouragement questionnaire, and the self-regulation questionnaire. The research subjects were 120 parents who had children aged 5-7 years who attended state kindergartens in the city of Gorontalo. The sampling technique uses proportional random sampling, which means that the sampling takes into account the representation of all state kindergarten schools evenly in every sub-district throughout Gorontalo City. The data analysis technique used is a two-way ANOVA hypothesis test. Previously, the data had been tested for validity and reliability as well as assumption tests so that the data produced was completely unbiased and consistent. Hypothesis test results F = 0.683 with p = 0.508 (p <0.05) so there is no interaction between children's self-adjustment and learning at home during the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of parental social support and children's self-regulation. In addition, the results of hypothesis testing between children's adjustment to parental social support obtained F=0.095 with p=0.910 (p<0.05) meaning that there was no difference in child adjustment in terms of parental social support. Likewise, if the hypothesis test between the child's self-adjustment and the child's self-regulation yields F = 0.064 with p = 0.614 (p <0.05) it means that there is no difference in the child's adjustment in terms of the child's self-regulation. So it can be concluded that there is no difference in children's adjustment to learning at home during the Covid 19 pandemic in terms of social support and parental self-regulation both collectively and individually.

The Triple P System of Evidence-Based Parenting Support: Past, Present, and Future Directions

Triple P is an integrated, multi-level system of evidence-based parenting support designed to promote the well-being of children and families to reduce prevalence rates of social, emotional, and behavioral problems in children and adolescents and to prevent child maltreatment. The system developed gradually over four decades to address the complex needs of parents and children from diverse family, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. It blends universal and targeted programs, a focus on developing parental self-regulation capabilities, and adopts a life span perspective with a population health framework. The Triple P system is used as a case example to discuss the past, present and future challenges, and opportunities involved in developing, evaluating, adapting, scaling and maintaining a sustainable system of evidence-based parenting intervention. Seven stages of program development are outlined from initial theory building and development of the core parenting program through to the sustained deployment of the intervention system delivered at scale. The importance of ongoing research and evaluation is highlighted so that different programs within the system evolve and adapt to address the contemporary concerns and priorities of families in diverse cultural contexts. A well-trained workforce is essential to deliver evidence-based programs, in a need-responsive manner that blends both fidelity of delivery and flexibility and is tailored to respond to the needs of individual families and local context. Programs need to be gender-sensitive, culturally informed, and attuned to the local context including relevant policies, resources, cultural factors, funding, workforce availability and their capacity to implement programs.

Are parents ready to be parents?

Angelica Celinska, lecturer and trainer, gives us an insight into her conversation around parenting with Matt Sanders, professor of clinical psychology. They discuss incidental teaching, supporting parental self-regulation, the stigma associated with parenting programmes and the role which educators play in all of this.

REGULASI DIRI ORANG TUA DALAM PENGASUHAN ANAK AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER DI MASA PANDEMI

Parenting of Autism Spectrum Disorder children has great challenges especially during the covid-19 pandemic due to reduced social support, increased parental duties, and the child behavior. Parental self-regulation is important because it affects positive parenting practices, which support the optimization of children's development. This study aims to understand the description of parental self-regulation in parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder children during the covid-19 pandemic. This research is descriptive explanatory design-mixed methods, included 120 parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder completed the “Me as a Parent” questionnaire, measured four parental self-regulation domains: self-efficacy, personal agency, self-management and self-sufficiency. Interviews are conducted on representatives of high, moderate, and low categories of participants to obtain qualitative data. The result shows that most of the participants have moderate category of parental self- regulation, approximately a quarter of the participants in the high category, and a small proportion in the low category. Descriptive data analysis showed that some of the participants had low parental self-regulation, which was supported by qualitative data. Based on the results, a training was designed that aims to improve parental self-regulation of parents with Autism Spectrum Disorder children, through developing domains with discussion and practice.

The importance of parent self-regulation and parent-child coregulation in research on parental discipline.

Parent self-regulation is multifaceted, involving emotional, cognitive, and biological processes that support or constrain parenting behavior. It is highly relevant to disciplinary contexts in which parents' regulatory difficulties can contribute to harsh discipline, which is linked to children's maladjustment. In this article, we address why parents' self-regulation is an essential focus for basic and applied research on parental discipline. We emphasize the need to 1) incorporate and test multiple domains of parent self-regulation to understand their respective and interactive contributions and 2) understand how parent self-regulation interfaces with parent-child coregulation in delineating mechanistic pathways of the effects of harsh discipline on children's adjustment. These foci will more fully inform the etiology of children's maladjustment related to harsh discipline and knowledge regarding specific, malleable intervention targets aimed at reducing harsh discipline.

Improving Parent–Child Relationships for Young Parents in the Shadow of Complex Trauma: A Single-Case Experimental Design Series

This study provides a preliminary evaluation of a dyadic intervention for young parents with a history of complex trauma, Holding Hands Young Parents (HHYP). Four mothers (17–22 years) and toddlers (12–33 months) completed the intervention, designed to improve parent–child relationships, parental self-regulation, self-efficacy and mental health, and child behaviour/emotional problems. An A–B single case experimental design series with follow-up and randomised baseline, used observational and self-report measures throughout. Linear mixed models demonstrated improvement in reciprocity and parental sensitivity over the treatment phase, with no evidence of shifts in scores at beginning or end of treatment. There was no evidence for changes in child engagement, negative states, intrusiveness or withdrawal. Reliable Change Index indicated improvement in parent-reported self-regulation, self-efficacy, stress and child emotional/behavioural problems from baseline to follow-up for all four mothers; depression showed reliable change for three. This study demonstrates relational change between young parents and their toddlers and provides preliminary data on the HHYP protocol.

A dynamic systems account of parental self-regulation processes in the context of challenging child behavior.

To advance the understanding of how parental self-regulation contributes to their role in supporting children's development, this study proposes a model of the dynamic processes involved in parental self-regulation. Based on time-series data from 157 mothers and their 30- to 60-month-old children (49.7% female; 96% White; data collected June 2017-December 2019 in central Pennsylvania, U.S.) during a challenging wait task, the model was tested by examining the temporal relations among challenging child behavior, maternal physiology, and maternal responsiveness. Results were consistent with the hypothesized dynamic negative feedback processes and revealed their associations with the overall quality of parenting behaviors and experiences. Findings elucidate how parents adapt to competing external (attending to child) and internal (restoring parents' equilibrium) demands during parenting challenges.

A Community-based Responsive Caregiving Program Improves Neurodevelopment in Two-year Old Children in a Middle-Income Country, Grenada, West Indies.

Many young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are at risk of developmental delays. Early child development (ECD) interventions have been shown to improve outcomes, but few interventions have targeted culturally normative violence such as corporal punishment (CP). We partnered with an existing community-based ECD organization in the LMIC of Grenada to implement a parallel controlled-trial single-blind responsive caregiving intervention that educates parents about the developing brain and teaches alternatives to corporal punishment while building parental self-regulation skills and strengthening social-emotional connections between parent and child. Parents and primary caregivers with children under age two were eligible. Allocation to the intervention and waitlist control arms was unblinded and determined by recruitment into the program. Neurodevelopment was assessed by blinded testers when each child turned age two. Primary comparison consisted of neurodevelopmental scores between the intervention and waitlist control groups (Clinicaltrials.gov registration # NCT04697134). Secondary comparison consisted of changes in maternal mental health, home environment, and attitudes towards CP. Children in the intervention group (n = 153) had significantly higher scores than children in the control group (n = 151) on measures of cognition (p = .022), fine motor (p < .0001), gross motor (p = .015), and language development (p = .013). No difference in secondary outcomes, including CP, was detected.

Measurement Properties for a Scale Assessing Self-Regulation in Parents and Parenting Practitioners

Parenting self-regulation is increasingly recognised as an important facet of positive parenting, as it allows parents to manage their thoughts, behaviours, emotions and attention in order to effectively carry out parenting tasks. Evidence-based parenting programmes such as the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program aim to increase parenting self-regulation by teaching parents a range of skills and strategies to deal with everyday parenting. Despite the importance of self-regulation within the field of parenting, few measures assessing this construct are available. The current investigation aims to add to existing literature by evaluating the measurement properties of a brief and parsimonious measure of self-regulation for both parents and parenting practitioners, the Parenting Self-Regulation Scales (PSRS)—Parent and Practitioner versions. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses gave support for a single-factor model for the parent version, and this was confirmed in the practitioner version. Both versions demonstrated excellent internal consistency and hypothesis testing supported the construct validity of both scales. The results indicate that the PSRS is a promising brief measure of parenting self-regulation for parents and practitioners which could prove useful to both clinical work and research in the parenting field.

Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship

Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship Abstract. Parental self-regulation is vitally important for parent-child interaction and child development. Mindfulness-based interventions generally aim at improving self-regulation by positively influencing neurocognitive functioning. The recent conceptualization of "mindful parenting" focuses on mindfulness aspects in parent-child relationships. Mindfulness-based interventions specifically for parents were recently developed and tested, especially in clinical settings. The results suggest positive effects of such programs for parents and children. For now, their nature remains preliminary, but they encourage future research.

Wellbeing in parents of children with picky eating and ARFID: associations with stress, parental self-regulation, and social support.

Wellbeing in parents of children with picky eating and ARFID: associations with stress, parental self-regulation, and social support.

Breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma: Evaluating the impact of parental adverse childhood experiences on parenting group outcomes using a mixed-methods approach

Many children experience some form of adversity in their childhood. These adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can have long-term implications. Parenting group interventions were designed to support parents who struggle to act as the protective buffer against adversity, and provide skills and tools to be able to avoid maltreatment. Despite the wide-ranging impacts of ACEs, their influence on parenting intervention outcomes is relatively unknown. This study used a mixed-methods, triangulation design incorporating repeated measures, pre-post quantitative elements (n = 30) with qualitative aspects (n = 6) to evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a 10-week integrative parenting group, Understanding your Child’s Behaviour (UYCB; Douglas & Ginty, 2001) in an Irish-based sample. As the group also explores a parents’ own experiences of being parented, the effects of cumulative parental ACE scores on outcomes were also assessed. This is the first study evaluating the UYCBP in an Irish sample, and the first evaluating the effect of ACEs on UYCB outcomes. The group was experienced as ‘acceptable’. Perceived stress and parental self-regulation showed significant improvements, but no significant improvements on child-based measures were observed. There was no significant effect of ACEs at baseline or on intervention outcomes. Qualitative data revealed salient themes of “Seeing” the child; Parental self-regulation; and Experiences of being parented. The importance of adopting broader, more sensitive methods of researching ACEs as well as tracking parent progression over longer periods are discussed.

Parental Self-regulation and the Promotion of Healthy Routines in Early Childhood

Parental Self-regulation and the Promotion of Healthy Routines in Early Childhood

PCIT engagement and persistence among child welfare-involved families: Associations with harsh parenting, physiological reactivity, and social cognitive processes at intake.

Parent-Child interaction therapy (PCIT) has been shown to improve positive, responsive parenting and lower risk for child maltreatment (CM), including among families who are already involved in the child welfare system. However, higher risk families show higher rates of treatment attrition, limiting effectiveness. In N = 120 child welfare families randomized to PCIT, we tested behavioral and physiological markers of parent self-regulation and socio-cognitive processes assessed at pre-intervention as predictors of retention in PCIT. Results of multinomial logistic regressions indicate that parents who declined treatment displayed more negative parenting, greater perceptions of child responsibility and control in adult-child transactions, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) increases to a positive dyadic interaction task, and RSA withdrawal to a challenging, dyadic toy clean-up task. Increased odds of dropout during PCIT's child-directed interaction phase were associated with greater parent attentional bias to angry facial cues on an emotional go/no-go task. Hostile attributions about one's child predicted risk for dropout during the parent-directed interaction phase, and readiness for change scores predicted higher odds of treatment completion. Implications for intervening with child welfare-involved families are discussed along with study limitations.

The role of parental self-regulation and household chaos in parent-toddler interactions: A time-series study.

Various studies have reported that parental self-regulation is inversely related to negative parenting practices, especially in relatively calm households. These studies have focused on general tendencies of parents over longer periods of time. In the current time-series study, we extended previous work by focusing on the moment-to-moment processes in parent-child interactions that may explain associations between parental self-regulation, household chaos, and negative parenting practices. In a sample of 62 parent-toddler dyads (83.87% mothers), we tested whether observed contingent negative responses to child noncompliance (i.e., reactive negative parenting) could be predicted by the interaction between parental self-regulation and household chaos. Additionally, we examined whether two indicators of parental self-regulation, self-reported effortful control and task-based executive functioning, had similar associations with reactive negative parenting. Reactive negative parenting was assessed during clean up and was calculated as parents' propensity to show negative parenting practices immediately after their child showed noncompliance. We found that lower parental self-regulation predicted more reactive negative parenting practices in moderately chaotic households. Associations were similar regardless of whether self-regulation was operationalized as effortful control or executive functioning. The findings demonstrate that less regulated parents may benefit from a home situation that is tidy, calm, and characterized by routine in order to remain neutral in situations in which their toddler is noncompliant. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Helping Families of Infants With Persistent Crying and Sleep Problems in a Day-Clinic.

Excessive crying and sleep problems affect up to 30% of infants and often coexist. Although usually benign and self-limiting, persistent crying, and sleep problems exceeding 6 months of age need attention as they may impair the mental health of the infant and its family. The source and the impact of these persistent regulatory problems is often not restricted to the infant, but extends to the parents and the parent–infant relationship. Clinical practice needs interdisciplinary and multi-method interventions focusing beyond regulatory problems of the infant but also on parental self-regulation and parent's co-regulatory responses toward the infant. Treating clinicians may encounter limitations of home-visits, outpatient, and pediatric residential settings when working with families in distress. We describe an infant mental health day-clinic treatment, drawing attention to this viable future direction. It offers a therapeutic climate based on forming a triangle of co-regulation between clinician, parent and infant to first help the parent and the infant settle down. This stress reduction restores parent–infant connectedness and parental learning and reflecting capacity. Clinicians then use established therapeutic modalities to support parental self- and co-regulatory skills which is important for the development of self-regulation in the infant. Experience with this treatment program suggests that a day-clinic setting facilitates interdisciplinary and integrative multi-method intervention, infant and parental stress reduction and integration of parental self- and co-regulatory skills in daily family life, improving overall outcomes. This perspective warrants further investigation.

Maternal reflexive functions and parent training in children with oppositional defiant disorder.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in preschool children. Parental self-regulation is critical for maintaining positive parenting practices. However, to the best of our knowledge, existing parental trainings for ODD do not focus on the enhancement of parental reflective functions. In the present study, we compare two models of behavioral Parent Training (PT) for duration of six months: one, already consolidated, is based on the principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), the other, innovative, integrates with the model of the regulatory and reflective parental function of Fonagy. Outcomes revealed that the innovative training was more effective as compared to the ABA training shopping that an improvement into the ability of parents to imagine the subjective experience of their developing children increases the development of children's self-regulation.