Spanish Parents Research Articles

Child-To-Parent Violence and Parental Psychological Disorders: Serial Multiple Mediation of Social Support, Self-Efficacy and Emotional Dysregulation

ABSTRACT Research about child-to-parent violence (CPV) has increased significantly, although studies from a parental perspective are scarce. Parents describe a lack of social support and psychological distress in the context of CPV. This study explores the mediating roles of social support, self-efficacy and emotional dysregulation in the relationship between CPV and psychological disorders in a sample of 1017 Spanish parents. A serial mediation model was conducted. Social support played a serial mediator role, followed by self-efficacy and emotional dysregulation, in the relationship between CPV and psychological disorders. The results highlight the need to intervene with parents to prevent or mitigate the psychosocial impact of CPV.

Affiliate stigma and marital satisfaction in Spanish parents of children with intellectual disabilities.

Affiliate stigma and marital satisfaction in Spanish parents of children with intellectual disabilities.

Psychometric Properties of the Spanish Version of the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire.

There are no validated instruments in Spain for measuring parental feeding styles. The aim was to validate the Parental Feeding Styles Questionnaires (PFSQ) in a Spanish sample. A total of 523 mothers of 523 school-children participated. The children had a mean age of 4.4 years (SD = 1.3), with 51% being boys (M = 4.3 years, SD = 1.4) and 49% girls (M = 4.5 years, = SD 1.3). The PFSQ and the Comprehensive General Parenting Styles Questionnaire (CGPQ) were used. A model of four correlated factors was identified: Prompting/encouraging eating, emotional feeding, instrumental feeding, and control over eating. Cronbach's alpha for the subscales ranged from 0.64 to 0.86, and McDonald's Omega coefficient ranged from 0.66 to 0.86. Emotional feeding and prompting/encouraging eating had values above 0.70, control over eating had a value of 0.68 and instrumental feeding had an alpha coefficient of 0.64 and omega coefficient of 0.66. The factor structure was similar to the original and to other adapted versions. The Spanish sample used more control over eating and prompting/encouraging to eat. The adapted PFSQ is a suitable instrument for assessing the feeding styles of Spanish parents.

Adaptation of the Coparenting Relationship Scale Questionnaire to Spanish Parents with Offspring.

The scientific literature supports that practicing positive coparenting leads to the healthy development of children. Consequently, professional interest in parenting and coparenting has experienced significant growth, and evaluating coparenting is crucial in family psychology for establishing action protocols in clinical practice. An instrument highly regarded within the scientific community for evaluating coparenting dynamics is The Coparenting Relationship Scale (CRS). This research aims to achieve two objectives: first, to adapt the CRS for the Spanish population of both engaged and separated/divorced parents and to ascertain its reliability, validity, and factorial invariance psychometric properties; second, to assess the effectiveness of the total coparenting measure in categorizing sample participants. A cross-sectional non-experimental investigation was conducted to address these objectives. The first objective was answered by conducting an instrumental study, and the second by an exploratory study using classification techniques and a causal-comparative study using multivariate inferential methods. It was concluded that the model comprising 20 items across two factors, Positive Coparenting and Negative Perception of Coparenting, is the simplest and best fit for the Spanish parent sample; it is invariant regarding gender and marital status, and the measures derived from each factor demonstrate reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. The resulting questionnaire for Spanish parents is named CRS-SEg-S&D. The Coparental Vitality measure calculated using the total weighted measure of CRS-SEg-S&D allows the sample of participants to be divided into three differentiated clusters called Coparental Robustness, Moderate Coparenting, and Coparenting Rickets.

Adaptation and Validation of the MapMe Body Image Scales in Spanish Parents of Schoolchildren.

Childhood overweight and obesity is a worldwide problem and to treat it parents' detection has to be improved. The MapMe Body Image Scales (BIS) are a visual tool developed to improve parental perception of child weight in the United Kingdon (UK) based on British growth reference criteria. The aim of this study was to make a transcultural adaptation and validation of the MapMe BIS in Spain based on International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut offs A descriptive cross-sectional study was done. First, a translation and cultural adaptation was carried out. A total of 155 10-11-year-old children and their parents participated in this study. Children were measured to calculate their weight status, Body Mass Index (BMI), Body Fat Percentage (BFP) and Waist Circumference (WC), and their parents completed a purpose designed questionnaire about their perception and satisfaction of child's body weight status using the adapted BIS. Test-retest reliability, criterion validity and concurrent validity of the adapted BIS were analyzed. This study shows that the adapted MapMe BIS has good psychometric properties and is a suitable visual scale to assess parental perception of weight status in 10 and 11-year-old children in Spain.

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.

Patient, parent and professional expert perspectives on personalized regenerative implants: a qualitative focus group study.

Background: Perspectives of patients, parents and professional experts on personalized regenerative implants for regenerative medicine purposes are largely unknown.Method: To better understand these perspectives, we conducted four focus groups with professional experts of mixed European nationality (n=8), Dutch patients with regular implants (n=8), Dutch and Belgian (n=5) and Spanish (n=8) parents of children with cleft palate.Results: Two overarching themes were identified: 'patient-centered research and care' and 'ambivalent attitudes toward personalized regenerative implants'.Discussion: The results reveal that stakeholders should adopt a participatory rather than an impairment discourse and address the ambivalence among professional experts, patients and parents.Conclusion: Considering stakeholder perspectives facilitates ethical and responsible development and use of personalized regenerative implants.

Adolescent General Efficacy Scale for Parents (AGES-p): Adaptation and Spanish Validation

It has been well documented in the literature that parental cognitions contribute in central ways to child development and adjustment. Nevertheless, there are no other questionnaires in the Spanish context that measure parents’ perceptions toward their adolescent children’s efficacy. This study aims to develop and validate a new scale to measure parents’ perceptions toward their adolescent children’s efficacy. A total of 594 Spanish parents and their children aged between 11 and 16 years completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Adolescent General Efficacy Scale for Parents (AGES-p), and the Adolescent Future Expectations Scale for Parents (AFES-p). Non-probability convenience sampling was used. We kept similar proportions in our sample when selecting participating schools (75.90% State schools and 24.10% private schools). The psychometric properties of the AGES-p scale were examined using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. We obtained a unidimensional factor structure, which explains 66.77% of the variance. This means that most of the observed variance in item responses is explained by a single latent construct. The reliability (α = 0.926) and convergent validity of the scale were found to be high. It can be observed that there are positive and significant correlations between AGES-p and the questionnaires used: GSE (r = 0.268) and AFES-p (r = 0.508).The AGES-p has the potential for evaluating parents’ perception toward their children’s efficacy. This scale in the Spanish context provides a new measurement instrument to the field of family evaluation, applicable both to research and psychoeducational, clinical, and social interventions.

The impact of adult children living at home on the well-being of Spanish parents: Evidence from panel data

Despite the prevalence of co-residence of adult children and their parents across Europe, there is only limited empirical evidence on the impact of such living arrangements on well-being. This paper investigates the impact of adult children living in the household on the well-being of Spanish parents aged 50-75. Using three waves of panel data from the Spanish Survey of Household Finances we assess whether the impact on parental well-being differs depending on the age of the child, and whether the effect depends on the gender of the parent. We find that there is a negative impact on parents' well-being of older adult children (aged 30 or over) living in the household, while cohabitation with younger children (aged 18-29) is not found to affect parental well-being. When analysing the impact on mothers and fathers separately we find that the negative effect of older children living in the household is driven by a significant reduction in the well-being of mothers, with no evidence of a corresponding effect on fathers. The negative effect on mothers' well-being seems to be related to co-residence with older sons rather than older daughters.

Comparison of basic and advanced behaviour management techniques between Colombian and Spanish parents during regular treatment and in emergency situations.

To evaluate the acceptance of behaviour management techniques by Spanish and Colombian parents used in paediatric dentistry and the influence of factors that determine their consent during regular treatment and in emergency situations. An anonymous questionnaire was carried out in which 9 behaviour management techniques (BMTs) used in paediatric dentistry by Spanish and Colombian parents were evaluated in cases of regular dental treatment and in emergency situations (pain and/or dental trauma). The techniques evaluated were: tell-show-do (TSD), voice control, positive reinforcement, distraction, parental presence-absence, nitrous oxide, passive and active restraint, and general anaesthesia. The questionnaire also included information on the sociodemographic information about parents and their children, previous dental experience, and dental anxiety of the parents. The data were analysed using SPSSTM software, r. 26 of IBMTM. A value of p≤ 0.05 was considered as statically significant. A total sample of 124 questionnaire (62 from each country) was obtained. The basic BMT were the most accepted in both countries, especially by Spanish parents. In emergency situations, statistically significant differences were obtained in the acceptance of nitrous oxide and general anesthesia compared to their use in routine treatments (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in the preference of the techniques in relation to the age of the children or parental dental anxiety (p>0.05). An association was found between the socioeconomic status and the acceptance of nitrous oxide (p=0.005) and general anesthesia (p=0.004). The basic techniques were the most accepted by Spanish and Colombian parents. However, the Spanish parents had a better perception of both types of techniques compared to the Colombians. Their preference was influenced by factors such as annual income and need for urgent treatment of their children.

Perceptions of Digital Leisure among Parents with Adolescents

Digital leisure is the main reason for the use of technology of adolescents and parents. This study aims to discover the perception of digital leisure amongst parents and to analyze whether their perception differs according to sociodemographic variables. To this end, the Leisure Attitudes Scale by Ragheb and Beard was adapted. It was self-administered online to 1200 Spanish parents (age, M = 46.61; σ = 5.33; 79.4% female). The Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed a Likert Scale (1–6) of 17 items, which was named the Digital Leisure Perception Scale. This scale is made up of four factors with good link index (RMSEA=.08;CFI=.97;TLI=.95;SRMR=.02) and a total reliability of .92. The factors obtained are cognitive perception; behavioral perception; social perception and time perception. Significant differences were obtained with respect to gender, age and educational level. The resultant scale is presented as a valid and reliable instrument to analyze the perception of digital leisure.

Normative Beliefs about Adolescent-to-Parent Violence: The Spanish Adaptations of the Beliefs about Child-to-Parent Abuse Questionnaire and the Abusive Behavior by Children-Indices.

Ascertaining the true prevalence of adolescent-to-parent violence (APV) is challenging because the measurement of APV in research is complex. There is no consensus on which behaviors constitute APV or how frequently they need to occur to be considered abusive. This study aimed to explore the normative beliefs about APV related to the perpetrator's gender in a sample of Spanish parents, by developing Spanish adaptations of the BACPAQ and the ABC-I. The participants were 329 Spanish parents aged 19 to 81, and 77% were mothers. They answered the Spanish adaptation of the BACPAQ online after being contacted by university students using the snowball sampling technique. Results show that sons were judged more harshly than daughters; although, differences were statistically significant only for a few psychologically abusive behaviors. There was agreement with the original study on the abusive nature of most behaviors, especially regarding physical violence. Cultural differences were reflected in verbal, psychological, and economic violence, and Spanish parents used more stringent thresholds than Australians. Future research should tackle the difficulty of carrying out studies on APV using a single tool able to reflect normative beliefs about this type of domestic violence in different cultures.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Changes in Parent–Child Activities at Home from Spring 2020 to Spring 2021 from a Cross-Cultural View

This study explored young children’s (2–8 years old) daily activities during the first lockdown with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (spring/2020, T1) and a year later (spring/2021, T2) from a cross-cultural perspective. It describes parent–child literacy and digital activities in Bulgaria, Israel, and Spain. Participating parents (747 in T1 and 432 in T2) answered online questionnaires about the frequency of parent–child literacy activities (alphabetic, book reading, and play) and digital activities (joint activities, selecting content, scaffolding) and the child’s screen time. The findings indicated moderate parent–child literacy and digital activities during the time points. A series of ANCOVAs revealed differences between time periods and cultures beyond the demographic measures (child’s age, parent’s education and age, and family size). During the first lockdown, parent–child joint digital activities and the child’s screen time were higher than a year later. A year later, parents were more involved in book reading, literacy play activities, and scaffolding their children’s use of digital devices. Interactions between the period and culture showed that Bulgarian and Spanish parents were more involved in their children’s literacy and digital activities than Israeli parents. Spanish children had more independent screen time than Bulgarian and Israeli children. Associations between literacy and digital activities implied a consistent parenting style across the activities.

The Influence of Emotional Regulation and Cognitive Flexibility on Sleep Habits in Spanish Children and Adolescents through the Lens of Parents.

Previous research studies have suggested the importance of studying the relationship between emotional regulation and sleep habits. Some investigations have especially focused on how emotional regulation could impact sleep habits in children and adolescents. Therefore, these researchers have stated there exists a two-way direction in this relationship. This study aimed to analyze the influence of emotional regulation on sleep habits in Spanish children and adolescents and the mediating role of anxiety in this relationship. Participants were 953 Spanish parents who completed the assessment protocol according to their children and adolescents' information. The results revealed moderate-strong correlations between emotional regulation problems and sleep habit disturbances (r = 0.375, p < 0.001), trait (r = 0.488, p < 0.001) anxiety, and state (r = 0.589, p < 0.001) anxiety. Additionally, emotional regulation showed a direct impact on sleep habits (β = 0.011, p = 0.005). Trait and state anxiety demonstrated a significant mediating role in the relationship between emotional regulation and sleep habits. Emotional regulation may have an impact on sleep habits during childhood and adolescence, suggesting the importance of early intervention focused on the emotions management and the prevention of sleep habit disturbances.

The influence of kindergarten on students’ performance: The Spanish case

ABSTRACT Most Spanish parents enrol their children in preschool education (ages 3–5) as a way of preparing them for compulsory education. However, not all parents decide to enrol their children in kindergarten (ages 0 to 2). In this context, the aim of the present study is to analyse the influence of kindergarten attendance on students’ academic performance in 3rd and 6th grades. In order to address this issue, we employ census and longitudinal data from the Spanish region of the Canary Islands and an instrumental variable approach to go beyond simple correlation. Our results show that kindergarten attendance improves students’ performance in around 1 standard deviation in 3rd grade, but that this influence is reduced and almost disappears when reaching 6th grade, particularly in reading.

The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale: Examining the Reliability and Validity in Spanish Parents

ObjectivesMindful parenting is the extension of dispositional mindfulness to parent–child interactions. The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IM-P) is a 31-item self-report measure to assess different dimensions of mindful parenting. Its psychometric properties have been evaluated in several countries. Two studies were conducted, and the principal aim was to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the IM-P in two samples of Spanish parents.MethodIn Study 1, 785 parents filled out this questionnaire and a dispositional mindfulness questionnaire. In Study 2, 859 parents responded to questions about mindful parenting and self-compassion.ResultsThe results of an exploratory factor analysis suggested a 5-factor structure in Study 1: nonjudgmental acceptance of parental functioning, compassion for the child, listening with full attention, self-regulation in parenting, and emotional awareness of the child. This 5-factor model was also evaluated through a confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2. The 5 factors showed good internal consistency and positive correlations with measures of dispositional mindfulness (Study 1) and self-compassion (Study 2).ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the IM-P has demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity in two samples of Spanish parents.

Relationship between parental perceptions, family income and support received with family quality of life in families with a child with an intellectual disability

Research has shown that families raising a child with intellectual disability (ID) face many challenges and need to implement adaptation strategies. Some authors suggest that positive parental perceptions and perceived control could reduce emotional impact and promote family wellbeing. Nevertheless, there are few studies about the relationship between parental perceptions and family quality of life (FQoL) in those families. In this study, we used data from a sample of 251 Spanish parents whose children have ID. Positive perceptions scale and control perceptions scale, Spanish FQoL scale under 18 years-old and a sociodemographic questionnaire were administered to those families. The results of bivariate analysis showed that some dimensions of positive perceptions were related to different areas of FQoL, for example, social inclusion and family accommodation. FQoL was associated with family income and support received. To predict the FQoL level, a multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted. Results indicated that FQoL scores can be predicted by a linear combination of positive perceptions and family income. Practical implications for promoting FQoL in these families are discussed.

Comparison of knowledge between Italian and Spanish parents about the oral health of their preschool children.

To evaluate and compare baseline knowledge between Italian and Spanish parents with regards to the oral and dental health of their preschool children. Study design epidemiological descriptive observational cross-sectional study. The research data was collected through an anonymous bilingual survey, generated through Google Forms and distributed either in paper form or through several digital channels together with a QR code to drive the participants to the questionnaire. In order to assess the differences between Italy and Spain, t-Student (with confidence interval) or Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the independent numerical variables, and the Chi-Square test was used to compare the independent categorical variables. Independently of the differences identified among the two countries, the results show that parents from both nationalities have limited knowledge about their preschool children's oral health and are not fully informed about child's oral hygiene practices.

Sensitisation to Pollen Allergens in Children and Adolescents of Different Ancestry Born and Living in the Same Area.

BackgroundAllergy can start at early ages, with genetic and environmental factors contributing to its development.AimThe study aimed to describe the pattern of sensitisation and allergy in children and adolescents of Spanish versus Moroccan ancestry but born in the same rural area of Spain.MethodsParticipants were children and adolescents (3–19 years) of Spanish or Moroccan descent, born in Blanca, Murcia (Spain). A detailed questionnaire was completed, and skin prick tests were performed to assess reactions to the most prevalent pollen allergens (O. europaea, P. pratense, S. kali, C. arizonica, P. acerifolia, A. vulgaris and P. judaica) plus molecular components Ole e 1 and Ole e 7. The association with ancestry was verified by studying participants’ parents.ResultsThe study included 693 participants: 48% were aged 3–9 years and 52%, 10–19 years; 80% were of Spanish descent and 20% of Moroccan descent. Sensitisation to Olea europaea, Phleum pratense, Salsola kali and Cupressus arizonica were slightly higher in the Spanish group. The only significant differences were observed in sensitisation to Ole e 1 (p=0.02). Rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and rhinitis plus asthma were significantly higher in the Spanish group (p=0.03, p=0.02, p=0.007, respectively). The sensitisation pattern differed between Spanish and Moroccan parents, and between Moroccan parents and their children, but not between Spanish parents and their children.ConclusionBoth environment and ancestry may influence sensitisation and symptoms. Although the environment seems to have a stronger influence, other factors may contribute to the differences in prevalence and in the clinical entities in people of Spanish versus Moroccan descent.

Analysis of Spanish Parents' Knowledge about ASD and Their Attitudes towards Inclusive Education.

To make possible the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream settings, parental knowledge and attitudes towards the disorder play a key role between the home and the school setting. However, prior literature has not carried out an in-depth analysis of parents’ knowledge about ASD and their attitudes toward the inclusion of children with this diagnosis. This study examined the parental attitudes towards inclusion and knowledge about ASD. Participants were parents of children with ASD (n = 75), parents of children without ASD whose children had prior or current contact with peers with ASD (n = 44), and parents of children with no previous interactions with a peer with ASD (n = 51). The Attitudes of Regular Educators Towards Inclusion for Students with Autism Survey and the Autism Knowledge Questionnaire were filled out. Nonparametric statistical tests were used. Results showed that parents of children with ASD have better knowledge about this disorder and hold more favorable attitudes towards the inclusion of children with ASD than the other parents. These findings suggest that the benefits of inclusive schooling are limited to the school setting and do not appear to affect families of children without ASD.