Psychosocial Stimulation: A Qualitative Study on Kenyan Mother’s Motives and Challenges to Promote Children’s Development

Interventions designed to enhance the mental and socio-emotional development of children in low and middle income countries through improving psychosocial stimulation are the subject of national and international organizations research and programs. Before new interventions can be designed and tested in low income countries, it is important to understand what psychosocial stimulation mothers are already providing, how beliefs influence the stimulation used, and what challenges are faced by mothers when trying to do this. We aimed to find out what types of stimulation are being commonly used by mothers in Kenya, alongside exploring the beliefs and associated challenges in providing psychosocial stimulation. This is a qualitative study using focus group discussions held in Kisumu, a regional urban centre in Western Kenya, with 35 mothers caring for at least one child under the age of 5 years. Mothers in this study identified four key themes of commonly employed stimulation: singing, play, dancing and story-telling. A range of challenges were raised such as ensuring their child’s basic physiological needs were met, managing marital conflict, and trusting non-familial caregivers, with mothers concerned that their child may be mistreated through accidental or purposeful harm. Findings indicate that mothers in a low income country are faced with multiple challenges when trying to provide psychosocial stimulation for their child’s development. It is important to consider these results when designing an intervention for this setting.     

A Qualitative Study on Children’s Digital Media Use and Parents’ Self-interest

Journal of Child and Family Studies - This qualitative study provides insight into the role of parents’ self-interest in digital media use of children in different age groups. We conducted 31...     

Patients’ Perceptions on Their Involvement in Medical Education: A Qualitative Pilot Study

Patients’ perception with regards to their use in medical teaching is an under-researched area in Pakistan. The objective of this qualitative, pilot study was to determine the perspectives of hospital admitted patients on their being used in the medical education of students in a private medical institution. An attempt to understand the dynamics of interactions between patients, students and doctors was also made and to see how this affected the doctor-patient relationship. A qualitative study with in-depth interviews was conducted in a private medical college of Islamabad, Pakistan with a total of 20 adult patients. The focus was on their experiences with bedside teaching. This pilot study reveals interesting findings about patient-physician interactions in Pakistan. Patients had a traditionally passive role in medical education putting more onuses on the doctor to impart knowledge to the medical students. Patients comforted themselves in the knowledge that they were following Allah’s command when they were involved in the teaching of medical students. The apparent altruism of Pakistani patients in this study was influenced mainly by religious reasons, following the commandments of Allah to help develop future healers for humanity. The culture evident in the medical college where this study was conducted is reflective of the social power ladders that pervade Pakistani society. The positions of doctors and medical teachers in Pakistani society are hardly challenged to debate. Little attention has been paid to the values that influence the cultural and social frameworks within which Pakistani medical teachers, medical students and the patients function.     

Coparenting Negotiation During the Transition to Parenthood: A Qualitative Study of Couples’ Experiences as New Parents

Abstract

Coparenting – how couples relate to one another in their joint roles as parents – is predictive of a wide variety of family and child outcomes. The current study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach to understand how couples negotiate the coparenting relationship during the transition to parenthood. The principal researcher interviewed 16 men and women of eight heterosexual, dual-earning, new parent couples. Themes emerged which were both conducive to successful coparenting and inhibitive of successful coparenting. Gender distinctions emerged between men and woman in their experiences of coparenting negotiation. Clinical implications of the themes are discussed.     

Why Do Parents Want to Know their Child’s Carrier Status? A Qualitative Study

When a child is identified with a genetic condition, some parents want to know the carrier status of their other children. There has been little exploration of why parents want this information. To address this question, semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents of 32 children with cystic fibrosis, haemophilia, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy who wanted to know the carrier status of their other children. Data was analyzed using inductive content analysis. Parents expressed a range of reasons for desiring their child’s carrier status, which fell into two broad categories: 1) benefit for the parents and 2) perceived benefit to the child. Parents discussed the desire for certainty and peace of mind derived from having knowledge of their child’s status. The most commonly expressed reason for wanting to know their child’s carrier status was in order to communicate the information to their child to provide them with the ability to make informed reproductive decisions. These reasons suggest parents are seeking their children’s carrier information both as a coping strategy and to communicate carrier information as part of their role as a parent. This has important implications for genetic counseling practice, especially as international guidelines generally recommend against carrier testing in children.     

Chronic Patients’ Autonomy in Iranian Hospitals: A Qualitative Study

The autonomy of chronic patients in Iranian hospitals is challenged by impaired functioning resulting from chronic illness, a negative image in society, and effects related to hospitalization. Comprehensive interviews and observations of 34 patients, nurses, and physicians were performed to assess the autonomy of chronic patients in Iran. Conceptualization, constant comparison, and the combination of data resulted in the identification of 5 main categories related to autonomy: welcoming paternalism, self-expression, self-proof, shared decision making, and self-determination. Authority scrambling was a central category describing chronic patients’ perceptions of their autonomy during hospitalization. These patients sought to maintain their independence despite serious threats to their autonomy.     

Foster Parents’ Involvement in Authoritative Parenting and Interest in Future Parenting Training

We surveyed 191 Southwest Ohio foster parents regarding their involvement in authoritative parenting and interest for additional parenting education. Our results showed that most respondents reported using an authoritative parenting style and were interested in receiving future training. Involvement in authoritative parenting differed significantly based on level of education and number of years as a foster parent. Foster parents with a college degree or higher were significantly more involved in authoritative parenting than foster parents with a high school diploma or less. Those who had been a foster parent for greater than five years were significantly more likely than those who been a foster parent for five years or less to use authoritative parenting and desire future training in authoritative parenting.     

Parental Competency as a Mediator in the PACE Parenting Program’s Short and Long-term Effects on Parenting Stress

Higher levels of parenting stress and lower levels of parental competency have been shown to adversely affect a variety of child outcomes such as both externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Behavioral parent training programs simultaneously decrease parenting stress while increasing parental competency. Recent research has focused on possible mechanisms of change that influence the efficacy of behavioral parent training programs. The present study examined parental competency, specifically parental efficacy and satisfaction, as mechanisms of change in the relationship between attendance in the Parenting Our Children to Excellence (PACE) program and long-term levels of parenting stress. Six hundred and ten parents participated in the PACE parenting program and measures were collected at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up. Path analysis was utilized to test parental competency as a mediator between engagement in PACE and follow-up parenting stress. Parental satisfaction, one factor of parental competency, was found to be a significant mediator between engagement in PACE and follow-up parenting stress. This study has important implications in further identifying mechanisms of change within behavioral parent training programs.     

Belief in God’s Help During Hepatitis C: A Qualitative Study on Muslim Patients in Pakistan

Journal of Religion and Health - Religious/spiritual beliefs play an important role in nursing of patients during chronic condition. Religion comprises an institutionalized set of transcendent...     

Parents’ Grief in the Context of Adult Child Mental Illness: A Qualitative Review

Research indicates that parents and other family members often grieve their child or relative’s mental illness. This grief appears resultant from a profound sense of loss, which has been described as complicated and nonfinite (e.g., Atkinson in Am J Psychiatry 151(8):1137–1139, 1994; Davis and Schultz in Soc Sci Med 46(3):369–379, 1998; Jones in Br J Soc Work 34:961–979, 2004; MacGregor in Soc Work 39(2):160–166, 1994; Osborne and Coyle in Couns Psychol Q 15(4):307–323, 2002; Ozgul in Aust N Z J Fam Ther 25(4):183–187, 2004; Tuck et al. in Arch Psychiatric Nurs 11(3):118–125, 1997). This paper reviews existent research in this emerging field, with a focus on parents’ grief experience in relation to their adult child’s mental disorder. Studies that explore parents’ and family members’ grief, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, are considered. Research evidence for the association between parents’ and family members’ grief and other outcomes are discussed. Findings concerning the prediction of grief in parents and family members who have a child or relative with a mental disorder will be reviewed. Finally, this paper considers methodological and theoretical issues associated with existent research and presents options for further study.     

“Coming Out” to Parents in a Christian Context: A Consensual Qualitative Analysis of LGB Student Experiences

Disclosures of same-sex attraction are some of the most difficult experiences for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. For LGB individuals of faith, disclosure to parents is often complicated by the intersection of religion/spirituality and sexuality. This study presents a grounded theory about a particular subgroup to address gaps in the literature concerning how LGB students on Christian college campuses describe and experience their parental disclosures. Consensual qualitative research analysis (Hill, Knox, Thompson, Williams, & Hess, 2005; Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997) revealed themes related to predisclosure influencing factors, the disclosure event experience, and longer term impacts of the disclosure. Implications for parents, counselors, and college faculty/staff are provided.     

Teachers’ and Parents’ Perspectives on a Curricular Subject of “Religion and Spirituality” for Indian Schools: A Pilot Study Toward School Mental Health Program

Religious–spiritual (R/S) education helps medical students cope with caregiving stress and gain skills in interpersonal empathy needed for clinical care. Such R/S education has been introduced into K-12 and college curricula in some developed nations and has been found to positively impact student’s mental health. Such a move has not yet been seen in the Indian education system. This paper aimed to examine perspectives of teachers and parents in India on appropriateness, benefits, and challenges of including R/S education into the school curriculum and also to gather their impressions on how a R/S curriculum might promote students’ health. A cross-sectional study of religiously stratified sample of teachers and parents was initiated in three preselected schools in India and the required sample size (N = 300) was reached through snowballing technique. A semi-structured questionnaire, with questions crafted from “Religion and Spirituality in Medicine, Physicians Perspective” (RSMPP) and “American Academy of Religion’s (AAR) Guidelines for Religious Literacy,” was used to determine participants’ perspectives. Findings revealed that teachers’ and parents’ “comfort in integrating R/S into school curriculum” was associated with their gender (OR 1.68), education status (OR 1.05), and intrinsic religiosity (OR 1.05). Intrinsic religiosity was significantly (p = 0.025) high among parents while “intrinsic spirituality” was high (p = 0.020) among teachers. How participants’ R/S characteristics influence their support of R/S education in school is discussed. In conclusion, participants believe R/S education will fosters students’ emotional health and interpersonal skills needed for social leadership. A curriculum that incorporates R/S education, which is based on AAR guidelines and clinically validated interpersonal spiritual care tools would be acceptable to both teachers and parents.     

Is the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program Acceptable to Parents from Culturally Diverse Backgrounds?

Behavioural parenting programs are an effective intervention for behavioural and emotional problems in children, however these programs have low utilisation rates by culturally diverse parents. We examined the cultural acceptability of program materials, preferences for delivery methods, and barriers to use of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. One hundred and thirty seven parents watched a video outlining the 17 strategies in Triple P and read through a tip sheet before completing a series of questionnaires. Results revealed that parents found the strategies highly acceptable, highly useful, were very likely to use the strategies and reported currently using the strategies often. They also rated the program materials as very culturally appropriate and identified group, seminar, television, and individual as the most preferred delivery methods. Parents identified location and timing of services, financial cost, and competing work commitments as the most frequently cited barriers to accessing a parenting intervention. The findings of this study suggest that elements of parenting programs may not be contributing to the low rates of access among culturally diverse parents. These findings highlight the need for more research addressing variables that may contribute to increasing culturally diverse parents’ access of behavioural parenting programs.     

Adrenal Insufficiency in Young Children: a Mixed Methods Study of Parents’ Experiences

Research into adrenal insufficiency (AI) and congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in children has focused largely on clinical consequences for patients; and until recently, the wider experience of the condition from the perspective of other family members has been neglected. In a mixed methods study, we captured the experiences of parents of young children affected by AI/CAH, including their views on the psychosocial impact of living with and managing the condition. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the UK and an online survey was developed, translated and disseminated through support groups (UK and the Netherlands) and outpatient endocrinology clinics (Germany). Challenges associated with diagnosis, treatment, support and the future were identified. For UK parents, the diagnosis period was characterised by a lack of awareness amongst healthcare professionals and occurrences of adrenal crisis. Parents reported burden, anxiety and disruption associated with the intensive treatment regimen. Parents adjusted and gained confidence over time yet found delegating responsibility for medication difficult and worried about the future for their child. Access to psychological support and contact with other families was reported as highly beneficial. The findings of the study provide critical context for future studies and for informing how parents and families can be better supported. Prenatal genetic counselling for parents who already have an affected child will include an explanation of recurrence risk but should also focus on providing information and reassurance about diagnostic testing and care for their newborn.     

Promoting Optimal Parenting and Children’s Mental Health: A Preliminary Evaluation of the How-to Parenting Program

Parenting quality is widely accepted as a primary predictor of children’s mental health. The present study examined the effectiveness of a parenting program in fostering optimal parenting and child mental health. The selected program was How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk (How-to Parenting Program). This program was selected because its content corresponds closely to what the parenting style literature suggests is optimal parenting (i.e., includes structure, affiliation and autonomy support). Eleven groups of six to twelve parents were conducted in 7 local grade schools. The program, offered by two trained leaders, consisted of eight weekly sessions and taught a total of 30 skills. A total of 82 parents completed questionnaires both prior to and after the program. Participants’ children between eight and 12 years old (N = 44) completed questionnaires at school, at both assessment points. Repeated measures ANOVAs using parent reports indicated that structure, affiliation and autonomy support were increased after the program, compared to baseline. The level of child internalizing and externalizing problems also decreased significantly. Importantly, children reports confirmed that parental autonomy support increased from pre to post-test and child-reported well-being improved as well. The preliminary evidence from this pre-test versus post-test repeated measures design suggests that the How-to Parenting Program is effective in improving parenting style and in promoting children’s mental health and that future evaluation research examining the potential of this program is warranted.     

Why Power Decreases Happiness in a Collectivist Context? A Qualitative Study

In the Western settings, power positively predicted happiness (e.g., Kifer et al. 2013). Though, this result may not be generalized across cultures as cultural psychologists recognized that interdependence is more important in collectivist cultures. Consistent with this conjecture, Datu and Reyes (2014) assessed the relations among power, relations, and happiness in the Philippine setting which revealed that power negatively predicted happiness. However, not much is known on why power could potentially reduce happiness in collectivist cultures. Thus, the current investigation employed qualitative research to offer in-depth explanations on why power may be associated with lower happiness in a collectivist setting. Findings revealed three major themes that characterized reasons on why power may decrease happiness in an interdependent context: a.) Power impairs relationship; b.) Power evokes negative judgments from others; and c.) Power comes with a great responsibility. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.