Responsible Parenthood Research Articles

Legal changes and evidence on unmet need for contraception, Philippines.

To investigate the relationship between the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law in the Philippines and women's unmet needs for contraception. The study involved data on women aged 18 to 49years from the 2013 (n = 14053), 2017 (n = 21 835) and 2022 (n = 24 253) Philippine Demographic and Health Surveys. The Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law was enacted in 2012, but not fully implemented until 2017. Survey-weighted logistic regression was used to estimate the association between variables and an unmet need for contraception, and the probability that women in different wealth quintiles would have an unmet need. We observed a persistent gap in unmet needs between women in the lowest and highest wealth quintiles in all years. In 2013, the odds of unmet needs for women in the lowest quintile compared with those in the highest were 1.288 (standard error (SE): 0.124); and in 2022, it was 1.287 (SE: 0.113). Nevertheless, the weighted proportion of women with unmet needs declined between 2013 and 2022; in the lowest wealth quintile, it fell from 18.4% to 10.6%. Moreover, the probability of having an unmet need declined across all wealth quintiles between 2013 and 2022; the largest decline was from 0.146 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.131-0.162) to 0.088 (95% CI: 0.079-0.098) in the lowest quintile. The unmet needs for contraception declined substantially following implementation of a new reproductive health law. However, there was a persistent gap in unmet needs between the lowest and highest wealth quintiles.

GUARDA COMPARTILHADA: HISTÓRICO E PREVISÃO LEGAL

Shared custody has gained increasing relevance in the Brazilian legal landscape as a mechanism to promote balanced and healthy interaction between parents and children after the dissolution of the marital union. This article analyzes the historical evolution and legal framework of shared custody in Brazil, with an emphasis on Article 1584 of Law No. 10,406/2002, amended by Law No. 11,698/2008, which establishes guidelines for the implementation of this custody model. The study addresses the historical context and the legislative motivation behind the implementation of shared custody, highlighting the role of social and cultural changes in valuing parental co-responsibility. The legal analysis details how Article 1584 promotes shared custody as the preferred model, except in cases of unfeasibility, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and communication between parents for the well-being of the children. Additionally, the article discusses the benefits of shared custody for the child, including maintaining emotional bonds with both parents, continuity of a balanced family environment, and the promotion of healthy emotional development. The legal provision of shared custody seeks to encourage responsible and collaborative parenting, mitigating the negative impacts of parental separation on children. It concludes that shared custody, as provided in Article 1584 of Law No. 10,406/2002, represents a significant advancement in Brazilian legislation, promoting a parenting practice that prioritizes the interests and well-being of the child, while encouraging the active and balanced participation of both parents in raising their children.

Schooled Families: Higher Education and Family Virtue

In today’s “knowledge society,” education is understood as highly instrumentally valuable, and institutional theorists have highlighted its immense cultural importance. What escapes commentary is the nearly universal moral reverence with which education is held. Since families are increasingly expected to participate in children’s schooling, a family’s moral virtue is partially established through offspring’s school success. I explore this using in-depth interviews with two American populations on the margin of college-going: beginning community college students and adult undergraduates. I discuss how respondents present support for education as evidence of caretakers’ status as loving and responsible parents. I then elaborate on how families create moral worthiness in relation to familial educational trajectories. I locate three narratives—maintaining the tradition, the rising family, and educational redemption. What narrative families deploy seems related to their location in social space, and each tacitly reflects the deep moral valuation of education that pervades modern culture.

Family counseling centers: the law and the current situation

On July 29, 1975, the Italian state, through Law 405, established the Family Counseling Centers and delegated to the regions the task of making the services operational, through implementing laws, over the next 4 years. Although with some delays and some unevenness, by the end of the 1970s, under different names that mainly referred to family assistance and education for responsible parenthood, the consultorial services made their appearance throughout the country.

Communication strategies for healthcare providers to enhance vaccine discussions with vaccine-hesitant patients

This study examines vaccine hesitancy as an emerging public health concern that undermines the efficacy of vaccination initiatives. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in addressing vaccine hesitancy; however, many lack effective communication strategies. This study developed evidence-based communication guidelines to assist healthcare providers in discussing vaccines with hesitant patients. Drawing on Bourdieu's theoretical framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten vaccine-hesitant parents and ten paediatricians in Nigeria. Through reflexive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts, this study uncovers power dynamics, legitimacy struggles, and cultural capital's significance in vaccine conversations. The findings reveal that hesitant parents question the legitimacy of vaccine recommendations, feeling marginalised yet constrained by societal norms of responsible parenthood. Similarly, healthcare providers' reliance on biomedical expertise often proves insufficient without rapport building, cultural competency, and addressing patients' unique knowledge assets. The findings of this study contribute to communication theory, medical education, and clinical practice by advocating for power-conscious, dialogue-based strategies to promote vaccination amidst uncertainty and scepticism.

Практики телевизионного медиавоспитания семейных ценностей в Китайской Народной Республике

The aim of the research is to summarize the Chinese experience in popularizing family values through media education to study the possibility of extrapolating the ideas, content and structure of Chinese television media in domestic conditions. The paper presents an analysis of Chinese television programs aimed at mainstreaming family values. The content of Chinese television programs on family topics is described and typologized according to the relayed value categories of parenthood, kinship, marriage, neighborhood and joint households presented in the studies. The scientific novelty of the paper lies in the fact that it is the first to specify the content of media education of family values based on Chinese television programs about the family. The sociocultural specifics and dominant family values of Chinese television programs are determined. As a result, it was revealed that the largest number of programs on central and regional television channels, as well as the main Internet broadcasting channels, are aimed at developing the values of parenthood, kinship and marriage among the viewing audience, which is due to the social order of society and the state policy of the PRC. Family-oriented television content provides relatively controlled socialization of members of society through familiarization with the values of family life in modern sociocultural conditions of China, determined by the increasing importance of large families, filial piety, responsible parenthood, marital relationships and personal development in the family.

The Fragmented Experience of Male “Victims” of Intimate Partner Violence in Heterosexual Relationships

ABSTRACT This study deals with the experience of men coping with violence toward them in heterosexual relationships. The research was conducted using a qualitative paradigm. It was based on 12 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Israeli men. The analysis focused on the participants’ self-perception in the context of domestic violence toward them. The findings demonstrated the effect of internalizations of socially constructed structural gender expectations on the participants’ self-perception, as a men, spouses and parents. The participants’ narratives exhibited deferent degrees of dichotomist gender perceptions, de-legitimacy for emotional vulnerability, traditional male roles as responsible spouses and parents. These elements intensified frustration and emotional repression of their experience which engendered helplessness and hopelessness. The knowledge generated should serve service providers by enabling professionals to examine IPV in a more holistic and flexible way, and to tailor interventions with men and women, that consider their unique cross-gender characteristics and difficulties.

Perceived needs and recommendations on adolescent pregnancy-related services in the Philippines.

Adolescent pregnancy remains to be a significant social and public health problem in the Philippines, despite the widespread implementation of a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) law. The current study explored the perceptions on teenage pregnancy and adolescent-oriented services across different views of stakeholders. Twelve focus group discussions involving sets of teenage boys and girls, teenage mothers, and parents of the teenage mothers were conducted. Data analysis using a descriptive qualitative approach adopting both inductive and deductive thematic analysis was implemented on the gathered data. Four main themes emerged from the focus groups. First, discussants expressed community perceptions, emphasizing factors perceived to contribute to the occurrence of teenage pregnancy cases. Second, the adolescents expressed the coping responses they used or have observed in others to cope with teenage pregnancy, while the teenage mothers and their parents highlighted their immediate feelings toward the event. Last, the participants verbalized their perceptions of community services including criticisms and suggestions to improve the delivery of these services. The findings underscore the importance of stratifying and customizing the delivery of adolescent services as well as the possibility of expanding the content and coverage of community actions. This study also suggests that there is a need to create local ordinances that are culturally specific based on the Republic Act 10354 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012. These ordinances must be coupled with other programs on reproductive health including training of personnel, ensuring the availability of resources, and reframing service delivery to the needs of adolescents. Further research is needed to explore variability of perceptions across contexts and cultures and the need for more appropriate service delivery models, thus contributing to a better understanding of teenage pregnancy and more tangible impact toward its reduction.

Healthy and harmonic childhood - foundation of the «Health of healthy» concept

Within the framework of the «Health of Healthy» concept (A.N. Razumov) a medical, psychological and pedagogical «Sonatal-pedagogy» system (M.L. Lazarev) aimed at harmonizing the mental and physical development of children from the prenatal age has been developed In Russia. The system has been tested since 1983 on population of more than 70 thous. children. The results showed its high effectiveness and safety (in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, somatic health, psychomotor development and children's abilities). Scaling of the Sonatal-pedagogy, in particular the system of prenatal education, will contribute to the sanitation of the Russian gene pool, demography improvement and formation of responsible parenthood.

Socio-psychological factors and conditions for the formation of responsible parenthood

The proposed article highlights the conditions for the formation of parenthood as a psychological phenomenon, which acts as an integral psychological development of the personality. Parenthood includes the value orientations of parents, parental attitudes and expectations, parental positions, parental attitudes, parental feelings, parental responsibility, and the style of family upbringing in its developed form. It was determined that the purpose of this article is to deepen the conceptual foundations of the study of responsible parenthood and to present it as an integral derivation that must be considered from the standpoint of a systemic approach. The task consists in researching social and psychological factors that determine the formation of the parenting system and clarifying the conditions for the formation of responsible parenting. It was analyzed in the article that the phenomenon of parenthood is systemically determined. It represents a relatively independent system, simultaneously acting as a subsystem in relation to the family. The authors characterized the features of the phenomenon of parenthood, which simultaneously appears in several angles from different sides and reveal the complex structure of its organization. Attention is focused on the fact that young people's perception of parenthood most often depends on their image in the parental family and sociocultural stereotypes. In conclusion, the fact that the combined influence of the factors that characterize the considered levels leads to the formation of a certain model of parenting is highlighted as an argument of significance

Karol Wojtyla’s Efforts and Contemporary Attitudes towards Parenthood. Success or Failure

Not only during the period of his Pontificate, but also during previous years, the activity of Karol Wojtyła is worth recalling, appreciating and internalizing, and his preached and written teaching on responsible parenthood should be put into practice. The teaching about man, love, marriage, and parenthood is still relevant today. However, there are both those who support them as well as those who oppose them, particularly, opponents who avoid moral principles, especially in the field of the transmission of life. Therefore, a question arises about the effects of Cardinal Wojtyła’s efforts to protect the dignity of a child and a woman – mother, as well as morality in the area of procreation. The victory of the truth, visible in the encyclical Humanae vitae promulgated by Paul VI, is a success, while the spread of demoralization experienced to this day by groups promoting abortion and contraception and especially the poor moral condition of future spouses and parents, creates new challenges.

FAMILY PLANNING BETWEEN THE SOMALI CULTURE AND THE ISLAMIC TRADITION

This essay examines the intricate connections between the Islamic faith, Somali culture, and family planning. Large families are viewed as a sign of social prestige and pride in Somali culture, which explores the societal norms and expectations surrounding family size. Examined are how maternal responsibilities and the extended family structure affect reproductive choices. The influence of Islamic teachings on family planning techniques in the Somali community is also investigated. Islam favors procreation and regards children as a heavenly blessing, but it also advocates responsible parenting and places a strong emphasis on the welfare of parents and children. The paper explores the ways in which Islamic scholars have interpreted sacred texts to advocate for the use of contraception within specific parameters. A sophisticated approach to family planning is produced by the fusion of Islamic tradition and Somali culture, balancing societal expectations with the welfare of the individual and the family. The abstract ends by emphasizing how crucial it is to comprehend these cultural and religious aspects in order to create successful tactics that respect the ideals and principles of the Somali community while advancing all-inclusive reproductive health care. KEYWORDS: Family planning, Somali culture, Islamic tradition, Societal norms Responsible parenthood.

The myth of gender neutrality in family court: A clinician's perspective on determinations of “the best interest of the child”

AbstractMisogyny is a universal prejudice against women manifest in all areas of society. To interrogate the nature of this prejudice, the author uses the family court system as her focus. The myth of gender neutrality in family court is pervasive. Current laws are framed around the assumption that both parents are on a level playing field. The reality is that our legal system is biased against mothers. This often reveals itself in the way courts make determinations of “the best interests of the child”. Family court is a microcosm of societal attitudes about parents, especially mothers, and related beliefs about what protects children. A brief review of family law and the “best interest” standard follows as well as a review of what we know and do not know about what is protective for children. The author reviews the problems inherent in family law and mental health training and practice—forensic and clinical. Although mandated to protect children, family court decisions sometimes have the opposite impact, and at times, even endangering the most protective parent and the child. This occurs mainly by devaluing the caretaking role while requiring the more responsible parent to facilitate the other parent's relationship with the child—regardless of the impact on her and the child. There are many reasons for this, but the basic one is the misogyny built into this system. This essay describes how social science research, psychological theory, and developmental principles are misused by both the legal and mental health professions to that end.

Traffic Accidents in Children and Adolescents: A Complex Orthopedic and Medico-Legal Approach.

Traffic accidents involving children and adolescents present complex challenges from both the medico-legal and orthopedic standpoints. Despite the implementation of road traffic safety laws, pediatric road traffic injuries continue to be a significant contributor to mortality rates, physical harm, and hospitalization on a global scale. For children and young people, automobile accidents are considered to be the primary culprit of mortality in developed nations. Even in highly developed nations, trauma is a significant factor in infant mortality. Each age category, from childhood to young adulthood, has its fracture patterns, as their skeletons are considerably different from those of adults. The consequences of traffic accidents extend beyond the immediate physical trauma. The medico-legal aspects surrounding these incidents add another layer of complexity, as legal repercussions may affect the responsible adult or parent, particularly in cases involving child fatalities. To effectively address traffic accidents in children and adolescents, a comprehensive approach is necessary. This approach should involve not only medical professionals but also legal experts and policymakers. Collaboration between orthopedic specialists, medico-legal professionals, law enforcement agencies, and relevant government bodies can facilitate the development and implementation of strategies aimed at prevention, education, the enforcement of traffic laws, and improved infrastructure. By addressing both the medical and legal aspects, it is possible to enhance road safety for children and adolescents, reducing the incidence of injuries and their associated long-term consequences. In this review, we aimed to summarize traffic accidents in children and adolescents from a complex orthopedic and medico-legal approach.

Factors that Influence Reproductive Health Decisions Among Low-Income Males Enrolled in an Anti-poverty Government Initiative in an Urban Community: A Qualitative Study Based on Thematic Analyses of Focus Group Discussions in Pasig, Philippines

Poor family planning greatly impacts both maternal and child health outcomes. While legislation of the 2012 Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law increased the access and use of contraceptives, there is still an unmet need for family planning in terms of limiting and spacing of births especially in the lower economic quintiles within densely populated urban communities. Meanwhile, while other studies have shown that male involvement in family planning yields beneficial reproductive health outcomes, local reproductive health policies by the government targeting men have remained very minimal. Therefore, this qualitative study explored the factors that influence the reproductive health decisions among low-income males which may augment the local government in creating reproductive health policies that extend to these demographics. Using a modified qualitative knowledge, attitudes and practices framework, low-income 18-45 year-old males enrolled in an anti-poverty government initiative, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), in Barangay, Pinagbuhatan Pasig City were included in this study. Four FGDs with 3-5 members recruited through purposive sampling were conducted between June 1-July 31, 2019. Thematic analysis was done using NVIVO software (ver. 11) and five themes emerged as the key factors that influence reproductive health decisions. Men enrolled in the 4Ps in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City decide the contraceptives to use while their female partners use these contraceptives. (1) Safety issues and (2) compatibility on a contraceptive, (3) control over sex, (4) possible infidelity in marital dynamics, and (5) hegemonic masculinity are the five factors that influence their choice of family planning methods.

The Father's Part: Influences of Paternal Psychopathology and Parenting Behavior on Child and Adolescent Well-Being.

Family influences on child quality of life (QoL) are increasingly understood. Parenting behavior and parent individual psychopathology are among the established predictors of offspring mental health. However, literature often addresses these factors as 'parental', lacking further gender-specific differentiation while predominantly studying maternal aspects. Social and biological fathers are still underrepresented in family research. The aim of this study was to analyze paternal contributions to child well-being. A total of 197 father/mother-dyads gave a standardized self-report on parenting behavior and their own psychopathology at child primary school age (t1; 6-10 y). Ratings were compared mutually and associated with child self-rated QoL at t1 and adolescence (t2; 12-14 y). Fathers and mothers differed in psychopathology and most parenting behavior dimensions (positive parenting, involvement, responsible parenting, poor monitoring, and corporal punishment). Father psychopathology made a relevant predictive contribution to girls' QoL at t2. Boys' t1 QoL was significantly influenced by maternal parenting factors (positivity and corporal punishment). Compared to mothers, fathers are faced with different individual stressors; paternal parenting behavior is different, while fathers' influences are significant, particularly for daughters. Father-addressed pre- and intervention programs in child psychotherapeutic treatment are of high relevance.

Internal Education Stakeholders’ Views on Parents Involvement in Public Secondary Schools’ Affairs in KilosaDistrict in Morogoro Region

Within contemporary society,parents’ involvement in public school affairsis achallengedue to various factors. The present study sought to explore the internal educationstakeholders’ views on parentinvolvement in public secondary schools’ affairs. Specifically, the study aimed to: (i) assess the levels of parents’ awareness of involvement in school matters and (ii) explore factors inhibiting parental involvement in schoolaffairs. The study was conducted at Kisanga secondary school in Kilosa District. It adopted a mixed research approach with the convergent parallel design.It involved 110 participants who were selected through purposive andsimple random samplingtechniques. Data were collected through semi-structured interview guide, structured questionnaires and focus group discussion. The findings showedthat parents’ involvementin school affairs was poordespite the fact that they were aware of theschool meetings and other eventsschedules.The study further revealed that time limitations,variedperceptionstowards teachers, life hardship, lack of awareness on the education policy and parents’ negligence were factors responsible forpoor parents’involvement in public secondary schools’ affairs. Based on these findings, the study concludesthat the government and non-government organisations shouldoffer community education as a mitigation approach for effective parents’ involvement in public secondary schools’ affairs.Lastly,the study recommended to the government of Tanzania to collaborate with other partners through community education to create awareness to every individual citizen on the importance of parents’involvement in school affairs. Keywords:Parent, parents’ involvement, school affairs, stakeholders.

China’s Family Education Promotion Law: Family Governance, the Responsible Parent and the Moral Child

Abstract This article discusses China’s newly enacted Family Education Promotion Law (FEPL). The FEPL symbolizes that family education through parenting has elevated from a private matter to a State affair in the country. The Law seeks to promote family governance through the concept of ‘parenting in accordance with the law’ so as to attain national ideals and improve the protection of minors. The prominent ends at the national level are the moral development of children and the construction of a harmonious State. Concepts of ‘population quality’ and ‘double alleviation’ are discussed with reference to their significance in relation to the enactment of the Law. The promulgation of the FEPL targets substandard parenting practices in China, including hyper-parenting on the one end and abandonment on the other. Typical practices such as inter-generational child-rearing are examined to illustrate why the Law is considered necessary from the State’s point of view. The article provides an analysis of the legislative intentions, background, and key provisions of the Law. It concludes that family governance through the notion of responsible parenting is an instrument of social policy in modern China.

Implementation of reproductive health education in a Filipino city: A case study

The Philippines has adopted reproductive health education (RHE) in schools with the passing of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law in 2012 which promised multi-dimensional support on reproductive health (RH) including RHE. Although there is urgent need for RH policy to enhance family planning and to reduce high teenage pregnancy, this law continues to be extremely controversial, conflicting with Filipino socio-cultural norms, mainly based on Catholic beliefs. Based on this context, this research aims to examine how RHE is implemented in Filipino schools. For the research, a qualitative case study was conducted in a Filipino city. Results show that each local stakeholder has a different concept of RH and delivers their own perceived concept of RH. Teachers lack RH pedagogy and training on RH while they also tend to minimise and modify their teaching in fear of further stimulating student interest in sex. Lastly, conflict between the Department of Education and the Department of Health was observed. This study implies that policy making alone is not a sufficient for effective implementation of RHE. Endorsement of various local stakeholders is necessary to accomplish proper RHE.

Mobiles, Digital Tech, Empathy, Metacognition, Self-Consciousness and the Role of Parents in Schools and Societies of the Future

Parents need to develop their cognitive and metacognitive skills such as lifelong learning skills, self-leadership, self-regulation, empathy as well as mindfulness and self-consciousness in order to sustain their parenting role as well as develop their personal and professional capabilities. More specifically, emerging technologies, such as mobiles and artificial intelligence have gained ground on enhancing responsible parenting, parents’ engagement with children’s learning procedures, parents’ wellness and active aging as well as parents’ cognitive and emotional balance in regard to their parenting role. Emerging technologies offer convenient, personalized and cost-effective training and assessment tools for parents with the final aim to create flexible and inclusive school communities.