Parenting Dimensions Research Articles

Beyond the First Child: Unveiling the Reasons Behind Stopping Childbearing in Iran.

The determinants of the intention to stop childbearing tend to differ over time and contexts. This allows the issue of families' childbearing intentions to continually remain on the research agenda. As societal context and temporal variability will matter for second childbearing intentions, this study aimed at uncovering the reasons behind the intentions to stop childbearing from one-child mothers' perspective. A qualitative descriptive study in Isfahan City, Iran, was used to scrutinize reasons behind the unwillingness to have a second pregnancy. A purposeful sampling with maximum variation was used to select one-child mothers. Until reaching saturation, 48 semistructured interviews were conducted. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Five themes and 19 subthemes emerged from the data analysis as structural attributes (economic, social and political conditions), parental attributes (parental (dis)agreements, childrearing troubles, having impatience and being at the inappropriate age for childbearing), husband attributes (having the intention to stop parenting, financially and emotionally nonsupportive and being busy by working), maternal attributes (health-related problems, adverse experience during former pregnancy, being employed, self-compassion, the fear of parity progression and being pessimistic) and child attributes (having a naughty child and having the physical or mental distress of the first child). Overall, findings highlight the multifaceted nature of factors influencing second childbearing intentions. Structural reasons at macro level, intrafamily relationship, mothers' self-related factors and challenges of raising the first child all play distinct roles in discouraging mothers from a second child intention. Understanding these key reasons can help policymakers, researchers and individuals alike to comprehend the complexities involved in family planning and fertility decisions.

Paediatric family activation rapid response (FARR) in acute care: a qualitative study for developing a multilingual application (app) intervention

BackgroundDelayed recognition of clinical deterioration can result in harm to patients. Parents/carers can often recognise changes in the child’s condition before healthcare professionals (HCPs). To mitigate the risk of failure...

Kenyans' perspectives on parenting roles and strategies used to raise young children in Kenya.

Research and parenting programs across the world emphasize two dimensions of parenting: warmth and control. Cross-country literature demonstrates many commonalities across samples on warmth; however, differences are evident with control, largely due to cultural and contextual nuances. Scant literature exists on parenting in Kenya, where half of Kenyans report experiencing child maltreatment typically by parents. Kenyan culture is a unique developmental niche important to understand and inform policies and parenting program development to reduce maltreatment. The purpose of this study was to understand perspectives on parenting strategies with young children, from a sample of Kenyans with varying experiences involving children (e.g., parents, community members). To our knowledge, this study is the first qualitative assessment of parenting practices among children under age 6 in Kenya. The 91 participants (62% female, all ≥ 18 years) completed interviews or focus groups. Based on a thematic data analysis, five themes emerged: (a) parental roles, (b) expressions of warmth, (c) cultural practices with children, (d) control strategies, and (e) factors impacting effective parenting. This study's findings have several implications for both informal and formal supports of families with young children. The findings offer insight into how Kenyans engage in parental warmth and control strategies, including those that are seen as culturally acceptable or harmful, and can inform the development or adaptation of parenting programs for Kenya. Furthermore, these findings offer important considerations for local and federal leaders in how to advance Kenya's policies and efforts to reduce childhood violence and promote healthy child development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parental Socialization Based on Warmth and Strictness Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Which Parenting Dimension is Related to Greater Adjustment?

The present study aims to examine parental socialization and adjustment in adolescents and adult children. Participants included 610 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years ( M = 16.56; SD = 1.69) and 608 young adults aged 19 to 35 years ( M = 23.60; SD = 3.72) from Spain. Parental socialization was assessed through warmth and strictness. Child adjustment was assessed though self-esteem, emotional self-concept, nervousness, and achievement values. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Results from predictive models revealed that warmth and strictness were significant predictors of child adjustment, although they showed different directionality. Parental warmth was always identified as a significant predictor: the higher the parental warmth, the higher the emotional self-concept, self-esteem, and achievement, and the lower the nervousness. On the contrary, parental strictness did not predict adjustment and was even a significantly negative predictor of self-esteem and emotional self-concept. In addition and contrary to classical findings from mostly European-American samples, the present findings seem to suggest that parental strictness is unnecessary or even detrimental, while parental warmth offers a significant and beneficial contribution to adjustment. Our findings suggest that even though family is considered less important in young adulthood because parenting has ended, the years of socialization may also explain the adjustment of the adult child.

Stimulation beliefs, parental reading involvement, and social inequalities in children's language development

Objective: This study investigates whether greater identification of mothers and fathers in different-sex couples with the stimulation dimension of intensive parenting promoted both parents' involvement in reading and benefited children's language development between ages 3 and 5 in the UK. In addition, we explore social class variations. Background: Our study tests the frequently assumed relationship of parenting beliefs about stimulation with language development, and contributes to our understanding of parenting practices and their implications for child development. Method: We draw on a large representative sample of young children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (N = 8,071) and apply path analyses in the framework of structural equation models. Results: For mothers and fathers, stimulation beliefs partially mediated the relation between parental education and reading frequency. Mothers' and fathers' stimulation beliefs had positive effects on children’s language abilities, but their impact was small compared to the direct associations with parental education. Conclusion: While parental education emerges as a key determinant of children's language development, our study reveals the nuanced role of beliefs about stimulation within intensive parenting, prompting further investigation into the multifaceted nature of parental involvement.

Dimensions of parenting during infancy: Testing a latent bifactor model

AbstractIn the current paper, we examined the dimensional structure of parenting using a bifactor model of observed parenting domains during infancy. We validated our parenting dimensions by examining correlations with indicators of family well‐being and child development. Data come from a longitudinal cohort that recruited a diverse sample of mothers (56.5% White) and their newborn child (50.7% males). Parenting was assessed using multiple indicators at an average of 18 months (N = 397). Bifactor modelling revealed a general latent dimension of sensitivity and two unique dimensions indexing emotional input and cognitive input. We found a pattern of shared and unique correlations of the three parenting dimensions with family and child well‐being. The most robust correlations were with the general sensitivity dimension, which we argue cuts across parentings behaviors and is fundamental to development.

Psychometric properties of the toddler feeding style questionnaire in fathers and its gender invariance

Parental feeding practices and behaviours are closely related to a number of child outcomes, including eating behaviour and health. The Toddler Feeding Style Questionnaire (TFSQ) was developed to provide an accurate instrument for evaluating parental feeding practices for toddlers by assessing two dimensions: responsiveness and demandingness. As the initial validation study was conducted in a sample of mothers only, the aims of this study are: a) to validate the TFSQ in fathers, b) to analyse its measurement invariance as a function of gender and parenting experience and c) to explore associations between socio-demographic variables and both dimensions. The TFSQ was completed by 377 fathers and 583 mothers. CFA confirmed the two-factor structure within the same items as the initial validation study, with good model fit indices (X2 = 230.089; TLI = 0.883; CFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.08 (90% CI 0.068–0.092), SRMR = 0.070). Strict invariance measurement in terms of gender and parenting experience was achieved. Overall, fathers scored higher than mothers on demandingness, regardless of their parenting experience. Primiparous mothers scored higher than multiparous mothers and primiparous fathers on the responsiveness dimension. However, there were no gender-based differences on this dimension for parents with more than one child. These results confirm that the TFSQ is an adequate and validated instrument for assessing parenting dimensions, as it performs equally well for mothers and fathers, regardless of their parenting experience. There is also support for the notion that parental attitudes to feeding may be related to their socio-economic background.

How do school experiences in adolescence affect educational investment in adulthood? The case of parental investment in private tutoring in Germany

AbstractThis article examines the role of parents’ school experiences in adolescence on their educational investment strategies for their own children in middle adulthood. We focus our analysis on the parents’ decision to organize private tutoring (also called shadow education) for their children. Previous international research largely agrees that families with a high socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to invest in tutoring to achieve competitive advantages in the educational race for higher credentials and maintain a high social status. In Germany, however, recent studies suggest that tutoring in Germany primarily serves underperforming children from les educated families to acquire relatively higher school degrees by compensating the higher demands of academic school tracks. We propose a theoretical decision model based on rational choice and life course theory incorporating psychological factors related to school performance of the parents (such as performance anxiety and ability self-concept) and operationalize four components that are intended to explain the (un)equal use of tutoring: (1) children’s school background, (2) parents’ cost and (3) benefit considerations, as well as (4) parents’ school biography. In addition, we hypothesize on the intergenerational transmission of performance-related factors from parents to their children and how this affects SE investment. We test our hypotheses quantitatively through logit regressions and a structural equation model using unique longitudinal data for 558 families (parents and their children) from the German “LifE” study (1979–2012). Our study produced two key findings: On the one hand, the parents’ previous school performance plays a direct role in the extent to which they themselves are able to provide their children with the necessary support in the event of poor performance. On the other hand, the performance-related experiences of the parents during school are to a certain extent transmitted to their children and thus influence their grades, ability self-concept and performance anxiety. These factors, in turn, are decisive for the decision to organize SE. Our findings indicate that instead of reducing the decision-making process for SE to absolute dimensions of student performance and parents’ SES and related cost-benefit calculations, dynamic factors behind this family decision related to intergenerational transmission and individual characteristics should be considered.

Do Parents Push the Button? Parental Influence on IT Career Choices of Sri Lankan University Students

Parental influence is a powerful force shaping career choices of young individuals, especially in emerging fields with limited understanding. This influence is particularly crucial for careers in newly emerged industries like Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS). In contexts where parental influence is traditionally strong, understanding how parents shape their children’s interest in these fields becomes even more important. This study addresses this gap by investigating how Sri Lankan’s parents influence their children’s career choices in the IS field. We employed a quantitative approach, surveying 247 IS students at a Sri Lankan state university using a self-administered questionnaire that measured six key parental influence attributes. The findings suggest that three attributes: ‘perceived parental career concerns on welfare and prestige’, ‘perceived transmission of parental views and values regarding career’, and ‘perceived parental encouragement to self-direction in career choice’, have a significant impact on students’ career selection in IS sector. The study further assessed the influence of parents’ demographic variables on students’ career choices. These findings provide valuable insights for educators, counselors, and policymakers, emphasizing the need for tailored guidance to enhance students’ understanding of IS career opportunities.

Child Ability and Parental Attributions: Development and Validation of the Reasons for Children's Behavior Scale.

Parent attributions for children's behavior affect parenting practices and emotional reactions. The current study aimed to create a new measure of parental attributions, called the Reasons for Children's Behavior (RCB), to capture how parents take developmental ability into account when making attributions for specific behaviors. A 224-item survey was completed by 836 participants, including original items and established parent attribution and parenting construct scales. Exploratory factor analyses and item-response theory analyses were utilized to develop the RCB, which includes 30 items comprising seven subscales. The RCB demonstrated an extremely stable factor structure, high levels of internal consistency across 25 demographic groups, reasonable test-retest correlations across 2 weeks, appropriate convergent and discriminant validity, and unique predictive validity (i.e., incremental validity). The RCB offers researchers and clinicians a novel tool to better understand how parent attributions for child behavior impact parenting and larger family dynamics.

Can We Explain the Generation Gap in Churchgoing?

Can We Explain the Generation Gap in Churchgoing?

Harmony in hardship: Unveiling parental coping strategies with the challenges of child's hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PurposePediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) profoundly affects various dimensions of parents' lives. Effective coping strategies are essential for improving psychological well-being and overall quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parental coping strategies with their child's HSCT challenges. Design and methodsThis qualitative study was conducted in Iran from February to November 2023, utilizing conventional content analysis with purposive sampling. For data collection, unstructured interviews were conducted, followed by in-depth semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Saturation was reached after analyzing qualitative data from 20 participants. ResultsData analysis unveiled a main theme labeled “harmony in hardship”. This overarching concept encapsulates the participants' endeavors to cope with the various hurdles and complexities stemming from their child's HSCT. This theme consisted of five categories: “emotional release”, “positive coping”, “avoidance coping”, “spiritual coping”, and “seeking support”. ConclusionParents utilized multifaceted coping strategies to manage the complexities of their child's HSCT journey. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial as they can positively influence parents' psychological well-being and improve their overall quality of life. Implications for clinical practiceHealthcare professionals should recognize the diverse coping strategies employed by parents of children undergoing HSCT and provide tailored interventions and support. Furthermore, implementing structured support programs and training initiatives for healthcare professionals can enhance their capacity to meet the diverse needs of parents during this challenging journey.

Trans men and paternal pregnancy: experiences during the pregnancy-puerperal period.

This study aims to analyze the experiences of a transgender man during the gestational-puerperal period and the perspective of obstetric nurses in training based on the dynamics and organization of obstetric healthcare in a hospital setting. This qualitative study is based on a case study approach, employing interviews and direct observations to collect data. The analysis was based on the theoretical and normative framework of the Nursing Process, the Theory of Caring, and the theoretical/critical perspective of transfeminism. The results are organized into six categories: Transgender man in the context of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum; partnership and parental dimensions; dilemmas faced by the pregnant couple; impressions recorded by the nursing professional; understanding of the case through a theoretical and epistemological lens; implications for healthcare professionals. We underscore the need to promote spaces for continuing education among healthcare professionals and to reformulate legislation in a way that enables the development of public policies based on respect for diversity and equitable care, recognizing the transgender population's specificities in the contexts of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum.

Kartlegging av foreldrestil: et spørreskjema for empatibasert, følelsesbevisst foreldrekompetanse

The present study describes the construction of a new inventory that measures parenting style on five independent dimensions: 1) Empathic communication; 2) Authoritarian leadership; 3) Valuation/compassion; 4) Avoidant leadership and 5) Mentalization. Existing models and inventories do not capture the same breadth and complexity of parenting skills as the present form. This inventory could potentially give a more nuanced picture of the individual’s parenting style and a more accurate indication of relevant areas of development. The results from our exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with two different parent samples (n = 592 individual parents) revealed that the five-factor structure demonstrated a significant model fit of the five parental dimensions. The results of the project so far provide a good foundation for further standardization and investigation of reliability and validity. Keywords: inventory, emotion-focused, parenting style, factor analysis

Use of tobacco and other illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men in Kampala, Uganda: A result of low parental attention?

Although the use of illicit drugs is common among young people, limited data exists on the use of illicit drugs among adolescent boys and young men (ABYM). We assessed the use of tobacco, marijuana and khat among ABYM to inform the design of harm-reduction interventions. This secondary analysis uses data from a formative study conducted among 2,500 ABYM across the five divisions of Kampala between July and August 2020. Survey questions were adopted from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey and Global School-based Student Health Survey. We computed proportions of ABYM that had ever used any form of tobacco or marijuana or khat in the past year and the proportion that had used any of these products in the past 30 days (i.e. 'current users'). In a sub-group analysis, we assessed if any patterns existed between ABYM's use of illicit drugs and selected parental attention attributes. Of 2,500 ABYM, 47.3% (n = 1,182) were aged 15-19 years. Overall, 16.4% (n = 410) reported past-year use of tobacco products while 11.6% (n = 289) and 10.5% (n = 263) reported past-year use of marijuana and khat, respectively. Current use of any illicit drugs was higher among past-year khat (46%, n = 133) and marijuana users (36.9%, n = 97) than past-year tobacco users (4%, n = 17). Current use of any illicit drugs was higher among out-of-school than in-school ABYM and increased with increasing age and education levels. However, parental attention was lower among out-of-school than in-school ABYM and decreased with increasing age and education levels. Use of illicit drugs is common among ABYM and increased with age and education levels but parental attention among current illicit drug users decreased with increasing age and education levels. These findings suggest that interventions intended to improve parental attention among illicit drug users may help to reduce the prevalence of illicit drug use among ABYM.

The role of the psychological attributes of parents and children, and fracture history in upper extremity fractures in school-age and adolescents: A case-control study.

This study aims to investigate the influence of parents and children's psychological attributes and previous fracture history on upper extremity fractures in school-aged and adolescent children. Between January 2022 and January 2023, a total of 194 participants consisting of 97 cases with upper extremity fractures (23 males, 74 females; median age: 10 years; range, 6 to 16 years) and 97 age-matched controls suffering from growing pains (47 males, 50 females; median age: 10 years; range, 6 to 16 years) were included in this case-control study. Both cases and controls were of school-age or over. The parents of the children were interviewed face-to-face using psychological scales including the Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Short Form of the Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised (CPRS-R:S), and the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire 2007 (DCDQ'07). The results derived from these scales and the demographics of the participants were evaluated in terms of their association with the risk of upper extremity fractures. A household income below the official minimum monthly wage (MMW) and a previous fracture history showed a higher risk for upper extremity fractures (odds ratio [OR]=2.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07-5.26 and OR=24.93, 95% CI: 3.27-189.98, respectively). In the univariate analyses, elevated scores on the hyperactivity subscale of CPRS-R:S (CPRS-R:SHS) were associated with a higher fracture risk (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 1.05-1.24). Furthermore, both a household income below MMW, a previous fracture history, and higher CPRS-R:S-HS scores were found as independent risk factors for upper extremity fractures in the multivariate regression analysis (OR=2.78, 95% CI: 1.13-6.86, OR=21.79, 95% CI: 2.73-174.03), and OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.22, respectively). Our study results highlight the importance of known risk factors for upper extremity fractures such as lower monthly wage and the presence of previous fractures. The psychological states of parents and children should be evaluated together.

The Ws of Parental Help-Seeking: When, Where, and for What Do Parents Seek Help for Child Mental Health.

Parental help-seeking preferences may help explain the treatment gap in child mental health. This study examined mothers' and fathers' help-seeking behaviors for child mental health to further understand their individual preferences for treatment. A total of 394 mothers and fathers completed questionnaires assessing the types of help sought for mental health concerns for a target child (age 3-7years), as well as measures representing illness profile, predisposing characteristics, and barriers/facilitators proposed to influence help-seeking. Parents often sought informal rather than professional help. Regression modelling indicated mothers' different help-seeking behaviors were significantly associated with illness profile (marital quality, child mental health, parental education), predisposing factors (parental attributions, child age), and family income, while fathers' different help-seeking behaviors were significantly associated with child demographics (age, gender). The results support expanding treatments into nonclinical settings and improving child mental health literacy to improve appropriate parental help-seeking for child mental health concerns.

Parents’ cultural beliefs about maladaptive behavior in young children: A comparison across two cultures

Parents’ cultural beliefs are associated with their children’s socialization and development. Researchers have examined these associations through the lens of parents’ ethnotheories, which refer to parents’ implicit beliefs about children’s developmentally appropriate behavior. In contrast to prior work focused on parents’ ethnotheories of desirable behaviors and qualities, there has been a considerable lack of research examining ethnotheories about children’s maladaptive behavior. In this article, we address this gap in knowledge by examining cultural differences and similarities in Spanish and American parents’ beliefs about the causes of children’s maladaptive behaviors. A semi-structured interview was used to assess parents’ causal attributions of children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors in a sample of 50 parents from the United States and 51 parents from Spain. Results revealed that US parents made more attributions to children’s internal states, social learning, and power motives than Spanish parents for externalizing behaviors. Conversely, Spanish parents made more attributions to attention seeking and material gains than US parents for the same behaviors. There were no cross-cultural differences in attributions for internalizing behaviors. Parents had strikingly different theories of children’s disruptive behaviors than they did for children’s internalizing behaviors. Differences in parents’ explanatory styles may reflect and maintain broader cultural differences between Spain and the United States. This study lends evidence to the growing literature on the relevance of parents’ ethnotheories in the context of child development and extends it to the topic of parental attributions regarding maladaptive child behaviors.

Parent- or self-reliance? Understanding young homeowners’ housing quality in Beijing from an intergenerational and dynamic perspective

Parental support increasingly influences young people’s housing outcomes. Using OLS models, this study examines the relative effects of parental and own socioeconomic status and political resources on young homeowners’ housing quality and their temporal dynamics in Beijing, China. We find that the market transition theory has explanatory power for both generations. However, the socioeconomic status of parents outweighs that of young homeowners in influencing their multifaceted housing qualities. These housing qualities are also positively associated with parents’, but negatively with the young homeowners’ political resources. This indicates power persistence theory does not stand for the younger generation, but parental political advantages derived from the socialist system are remanent in shaping contemporary youth’s housing stratification. The more recent the acquisition of homeownership by young adult children, the stronger the positive influence of parental attributes, but the weaker the influence of the younger generation’s own attributes. This demonstrates the intergenerational reproduction of housing stratification and socio-spatial inequality becomes more pronounced as housing affordability declines.

The relationship between resilience and parental behaviours: The moderating role of parent and child age

AbstractThe present study investigates the relationship between resilience and parental behaviours and examines the moderating role of parent and child age in this relationship. The cross‐sectional descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 204 parents of children aged 6 months to 12 years. The Resilience Assessment Scale and the Parenting Behaviours and Dimensions Questionnaire were used. The findings confirmed the existence of a positive relationship between parental resilience and desirable parental dimensions and a negative association with undesirable behaviours towards children. However, overall resilience was not associated with anxious intrusiveness. The moderating effect confirmed that parental age played a moderating role between resilience and punitive behaviours. Child age moderated the relationship between resilience and emotional warmth, permissiveness and anxious intrusiveness. The results of the study indicate the importance of positive resources, such as resilience, and demographic variables, such as parental and child age, in the development of positive parenting.