Objective. Creativity among parents is a critical factor in managing the multifaceted challenges of parenthood, particularly when their child is a victim of school bullying. Creative parents may help their children develop skills to cope effectively and adaptively with bullying and perhaps even prevent further incidents. This study explores mothers' creative strategies for addressing school bullying and examines factors related to those strategies, including mothers' sociodemographic characteristics, history of bullying victimization, and resilience. Design. A total of 528 mothers of school-age children completed measures assessing creativity, bullying history, and resilience. Cluster analysis identified three groups of mothers based on their low, medium, and high levels of creativity. Results. Mothers with higher levels of education exhibited greater creativity. Mothers' history of school bullying victimization had a negative effect on their creativity, whereas resilience positively affected it. Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that only education level and resilience were significant predictors of maternal creativity. Conclusions. These findings underscore the potential for integrating creative, parent-focused strategies into anti-bullying intervention programs.
Objective. Professional training is crucial for ensuring fidelity when implementing parenting programs at scale. This study examined the quality of the ACT Raising Safe Kids Program's online theoretical training for preparing facilitators for implement the program with fidelity in the public system as well as the sociodemographic and professional predictors of training engagement and certification outcomes (i.e. completion and certification). Design. 176 professionals from 24 cities in Brazil. The theoretical training was delivered online, and professionals implemented an in-person ACT group with families as part of the certification process. Pre- and post-training questionnaires assessed self-reported knowledge about the program's contents, and fidelity and certification were evaluated through videorecorded observations of one ACT session. Sociodemographic and professional characteristics were also examined.Professionals reported increased knowledge of child development, positive parenting, violence prevention, and satisfaction with the theoretical training. Results. The mean total score on the fidelity checklist corresponded to 80% of the maximum possible score, reflecting a high level of fidelity among facilitators during their implementation. Younger age (under 35 years), female gender, previous experience with groups and families, and at least 2 years of service were related to enhanced engagement in completing the training and certification. Additionally, 80% of professionals who completed the practical certification process were certified based on an external observational assessment. Conclusions. The findings demonstrate the quality and scalability of the online training and validate an ACT training model capable of reaching professionals across geographically diverse regions of Brazil, with potential applicability to other countries.
Objective. As the opioid epidemic persists across cultures, there is need for more information about fatherhood and fathering among men with an opioid use disorder. This comparative study was designed to clarify the nature of guilt and shame associated with perceived failure to be a more effective father in the context of an opioid use disorder. Design. Interview and self-report data were collected from an ethnically diverse sample of 224 fathers representing a clinical group with an opioid use disorder and a comparison group with no alcohol or drug use disorder. Measures representing exposure to child maltreatment, residential status, neuroticism, negative evaluation of self as a father, hostile-aggressive parenting behavior, neglectful parenting behavior, and the presence of an opioid use disorder were used to document the correlates of guilt and shame. Results. Multivariate multiple-regression analyses indicated that the fathers in the clinical group reported more guilt and more shame than the fathers in the comparison group. In multivariate models, negative evaluation of self as a father and hostile-aggressive parenting behavior correlated with guilt, but the strength of those relations was attenuated for the fathers in the clinical group. Exposure to child maltreatment, residential status, neuroticism, negative evaluation of self as a father, and the presence of an opioid use disorder correlated with shame in an additive manner. Conclusions. Guilt and shame may be important emotions in the psychological world of fathers misusing opioids that should be addressed in clinical assessment and intervention pursued with this hidden population of parents.
Objective. Gendered parenting refers to practices that reinforce gender norms. In the current studies, we were interested in parents' reactions to their adolescent children's gender norm violations as a form of gendered parenting. Drawing on theoretical predictions from research on reactions to gender norm violations and gendered parenting, we investigated the dimensions on which parents would express negative reactions to violations of gender norms, and whether these reactions differed for sons versus daughters. Design. We focused on parents of adolescents (12 to 17 year) and investigated three different domains of gender norm violations (career choices, personality traits, and overall gender group-dissimilarity) and also examined potential differences in reactions to sons' or daughters' gender norm violations as well as the moderating role of parents' gender essentialist beliefs. In two cross-sectional studies (N = 708), parents reported their attitudes toward their adolescent's gender norm violations (referring to 51 sons and 41 daughters in Study 1, and 281 sons and 325 daughters in Study 2) across the previously mentioned domains. Results. When parents endorsed essentialist beliefs, they reacted more negatively/less positively to violations of gender norms, though this overall pattern varied between the investigated domain of gender norms. Overall, the effect of child gender revealed more negative attitudes toward sons than daughters. Conclusions. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for understanding gendered parenting and reactions to gender norm violations.
Objective. When parents communicate with their children, their tone of voice plays a vital role in shaping their children's emotional and motivational reactions. Understanding why some parents use their voice differently from others, whether due to stable individual traits or situational factors, can provide insights into how parenting practices are expressed and how they affect children. This study investigates how individual differences in parents" characteristics, including autonomy support (supporting child choice and volition), psychological control (parenting through pressure, guilt, or coercion), authoritarian attitudes (beliefs that children should be obedient, respect, authority, and follow rules without negotiation), and stress levels, influence parents" vocal behavior during interactions with their children. Design. Using two samples of Dutch- (N = 210) and English-speaking mothers and fathers (N = 169), we analyzed acoustic properties of speech (i.e. pitch, amplitude, speech rate, and voice quality), during simulated parenting scenarios. Results. Mothers who reported higher levels of psychological control consistently articulated harsher-sounding voices. Mothers and fathers high on authoritarianism spoke more slowly than parents low on authoritarianism, whereas stress showed less consistent associations with vocal behavior. Conclusions. These findings highlight the role of differences in parenting practices, personality traits, and stress in the prediction of parental prosody in parent-child interactions.
Objective. This study examined how trajectories of interparental conflict are associated with trajectories of adolescent emotional insecurity and their social maladjustment. Design: Participants were 181 adolescents (M age = 12.64, SD = 0.57; 50.8% female) and their parents, assessed annually for 3 years. Parallel process latent growth curve models were used to examine associations among growth trajectories of interparental conflict, adolescent emotional insecurity, and adolescent social maladjustment. Results: Higher initial levels of interparental conflict were associated with greater increases in adolescent emotional insecurity over time. Increases in interparental conflict over time were associated with concurrent increases in adolescent emotional insecurity. Adolescent emotional insecurity slope was associated with adolescent social maladjustment slope such that increases in interparental conflict corresponded with increases in adolescent social maladjustment through concurrent increases in adolescent emotional insecurity. Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of examining developmental trajectories rather than static assessments of interparental conflict, adolescents' emotional insecurity, and their social maladjustment, offering insights into how trajectories of these constructs are associated with each other.
Advances in neuroimaging methodologies have enabled the simultaneous investigation of central nervous system activity in interacting parent-child dyads. Parenting research that incorporates multibrain hyperscanning approaches to capture neural dynamics offers new opportunities to conceptualize parenting as a multilevel, interactive process embedded in complex social systems. However, such approaches introduce substantial challenges, including the interpretation of multimodal and high-dimensional datasets integrating neural, physiological, behavioral, and self-report measures as well as the need for novel analytical frameworks capable of managing and modeling large-scale data sets. Unequal global access to advanced neuroimaging technologies also limits the representativeness and diversity of samples, raising concerns regarding the generalizability and inclusivity of hyperscanning-based parenting research.
Objective. This study investigated whether stronger mother-fetal attachment (MFA) predicts more positive postpartum mother-infant outcomes, including observed maternal behaviors (higher sensitivity, closer proximity, more affiliative touches), maternal reports of the infant (easier temperament, greater warmth, less invasiveness), and longer breastfeeding persistence. Design. During the routine antenatal care, a community sample (N = 105) completed the 20-item Mother-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS) in the third trimester. At 4 months postpartum, masked trained coders evaluated maternal sensitive responsiveness from mother-infant interactions, and mothers rated or reported on infant temperament, mother-object relations, and breastfeeding persistence (n = 80). At 8 months postpartum, another team of masked trained coders counted maternal affiliative touches and evaluated the physical proximity between mother and infant from mother-infant interactions of a subsample (n = 30). Results. MFA was assessed as a total score and as statistically derived dimensions. The first analysis identified a three-factor model of MFAS, comprising anticipating/fantasizing, attributing, and empathizing. MFAS empathizing uniquely predicted observed maternal sensitive responsiveness, whereas MFAS Attributing predicted mother-reported infant orienting-regulatory temperament. MFAS total predicted three specific postpartum relational outcomes in the expected direction-mother-reported infant warmth toward her, mother-reported infant orienting-regulatory temperament, and observed mother-infant proximity. MFAS was not associated with maternal touches, other mother-reported temperament dimensions, mother-reported infant invasiveness, or breastfeeding persistence. Conclusions. Higher overall MFA in the third trimester was linked to greater physical closeness during mother-infant interactions and more positive mother-reported infant characteristics (warmth and regulatory capacity). Greater maternal empathizing toward fetal "emotional states" was specifically linked with maternal sensitivity. Theoretical, measurement, and clinical implications are discussed.
Objective. This study extends current knowledge on coparenting, that is how parents work as a parenting team, by comparing patterns of prospective coparenting (i.e. expectations and worries related to forthcoming coparenting) among expectant parents in three countries varying in their sociocultural contexts. Design. During the third trimester of pregnancy, 30 Finnish, Japanese, and Portuguese heterosexual couples (N = 180) expecting their first child participated in individual semi-structured interviews on their prospective coparenting. A structured coding frame was developed in an iterative process between and within country teams. Results. Both country-general and country-specific patterns in prospective coparenting among Finnish, Japanese and Portuguese expectant couples emerged. Five themes of prospective coparenting across the three countries were identified, providing support for coparenting as a multidimensional construct but also revising knowledge on the relevance of these dimensions among expectant parents. Sociocultural context was reflected in couples' expectations about the division of parenting responsibilities and in their expectations related to mutual support and agreement on childrearing. Country differences were also identified in how the expectant parents justified their decisions and saw the relative primacy of mothers and fathers in forthcoming coparenting. Conclusions. Parental cooperation in terms of mutual support, team spirit, sharing, and agreeing on childrearing were recognized among prospective parents in the three countries. However, the availability of institutional support, gender and the care regime, and the associated set of values as well as existing work and parenting cultures shaped expectant parents' future visions of their coparenting.
Objective. The pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to family dynamics and parent-child interactions during critical transitional periods. Design. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of 60 British mothers on their children's transition to Reception year, the first year of primary school, during the COVID-19 lockdown, using the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) method. The analysis uses hybrid inductive-deductive thematic analysis, drawing on criticism and warmth as interpretative lenses rather than formal coding categories. Results. The criticism and warmth dimensions co-occurred in the same descriptions, reflecting the emotional complexity of parenting during the pandemic. Mothers' narratives illustrate how the intense proximity and social isolation of the lockdown deepened both empathy and frustration, highlighting the intertwined nature of warmth and criticism in mothers' emotional expressions. Using a phenomenological approach, the analysis identified four main themes: (1) the transition to Reception during COVID-19, (2) mothers' perceptions of their children's agency, (3) mothers' descriptions of their children's develop0ment, and (4) framing as a coping mechanism. Conclusions. Findings are discussed from three perspectives: (1) contextual, considering the unique pandemic environment; (2) theoretical, exploring the findings through the concept of narrative coherence; and (3) methodological, emphasizing the influence of the analytical approach on understanding mothers' perceptions. This holistic approach offers valuable insights for enhancing mother-child relationships and supporting children through critical transitions, particularly in crisis contexts.
Objective. Previous research has highlighted associations between parental mental health and body image concerns for children's development, but most studies have focused on maternal patterns. The current study aimed to examine the effects of both maternal and paternal emotional distress, body image, and eating regulation on children's social functioning and body mass index (BMI z-scores) over time. Design. The study included 91 couples and their children, ages 4 to 9 years, with data collected at four time-points over 12 months. Self-report questionnaires assessed parental measures, and children's measures were tracked to analyze the long-term effects of parental patterns. The analysis used an actor-partner two-step mediation model in a structural equation modeling framework, examining both direct and indirect effects of parental factors on children's BMI, with children's social functioning as a mediator. Results. Parental emotional distress, especially maternal anxiety and depression, was strongly associated with children's social functioning difficulties, and both maternal and paternal body image correlated with their own poor eating regulation. By including both parents and examining a reversed mediation pathway, the study revealed that children's social functioning mediated the relation between parental emotional distress and children's BMI. Furthermore, maternal preoccupation with body image concerns had a direct association with children's BMI z-score trajectories. Conclusions. This study highlights the importance of considering both maternal and paternal factors in understanding children's social and physical development. Interventions should adopt a family-centered approach to effectively improve children's outcomes.
Objective. Although continuity and stability in parental sensitivity promote a sense of security and predictability for infants and are linked to a variety of positive child outcomes, research with fathers is relatively rare. The present Portuguese longitudinal study investigates mean group-level continuity (vs. discontinuity) and individual-order stability (vs. instability) of ratings of paternal sensitivity and other dimensions of father-infant interactive behavior with infants from 3 to 9 months. Design. Participants included 61 urban middle- to lower-middle class Portuguese fathers and their healthy, term infants observed during free play at 3 and 9 months. Multiple dimensions of paternal and infant behavior were scored using Crittenden's CARE-Index. Fathers also reported on their involvement in childcare activities using the Parents' Responsibility Scale. Results. The magnitude of fathers' average group-level sensitivity decreased from 3 to 9 months, but fathers' ratings correlated over time, indicating individual-order stability. In a First-Difference Regression Model, increases in paternal involvement (play and primary caregiving) and infant cooperative behavior from 3 to 9 months predicted higher paternal sensitivity. Conclusions. Evidence for both group-level discontinuity and individual-order stability in fathers' sensitivity and involvement was found at 3 to 9 months postpartum. Increases in paternal play and primary caregiving, along with cooperative infant behavior, predicted higher paternal sensitivity at 9 months, identifying modifiable targets for early support.
Objective. Personality helps determine the way an individual interprets environmental conditions and the behavior of others. Accordingly, it is important to document how parental personality characteristics help drive parental responses to challenges in the environment and how personality characteristics help direct parental interactions with children based on children's dispositions. Design. Relations between maternal extraversion and parenting (sensitivity and stimulation and the total HOME score were examined when children were 4.5 and 10 to 11 years old, with a focus on how maternal extraversion moderates the effects of low household income and child temperament on parenting. Results. Mothers who scored high in extraversion were more likely to engage their children in a sensitive manner, provide them a greater amount of stimulation for learning, and provide a higher quality home environment. Maternal extraversion moderated the influence of household income-to-needs on sensitivity, stimulation, and the total HOME score when children were 4.5 years old. By contrast, interactions between maternal extraversion and child difficult temperament were only found for the total HOME score when children were 10-11 years old. Conclusions. Living in adverse circumstances does not keep mothers high in extraversion from engaging productively in parenting to the same extent it does for mothers not high in extraversion. Further research is needed on how best to support parents with different personalities so that the findings from research benefit both them and their children.
Objective. Previous research on the genetic and environmental links between parenting and adolescent externalizing behavior has largely focused on Western populations. Design. This study investigated this association in China, a non-Western population, using a large, genetically informative sample of same-sex adolescent twins (N = 2196; aged 9-19 years) with reports from multiple informants. Results. Genetic and shared- and non-shared environmental influences on child-reported and parent-reported parental warmth and parental harshness-hostility emerged. Adolescent externalizing behavior showed genetically driven associations with parental harshness-hostility, whereas its association with warmth was mainly environmentally mediated. Conclusions. These findings extend our understanding of the genetic and environmental links between negative and/or positive parenting and adolescent externalizing behavior into a non-Western cultural context.
