Syftet med studien var att undersöka föräldraförmågans (parental self-efficacy) dimensioner i förhållande till den självupplevda föräldrabarnrelationen. Undersökningen genomfördes som en tvärsnittsstudie av kvantitativ design med 151 deltagare. Deltagarna rekryterades på sociala medier och besvarade en digital enkät. För att analysera data användes det statistiska programmet SPSS. Dataanalys visade att samtliga dimensioner av föräldraförmågan i mätinstrumentet TOPSE korrelerade positivt med responsvariabeln föräldrabarnrelationen. Det innebär att ju högre den subjektivt upplevda föräldraförmågan är, desto bättre relation upplever föräldrarna till sina barn. Empati och förståelse var den starkaste prediktorn av föräldrabarnrelationen följt av kontroll, känslor och tillgivenhet samt social press. Denna studie visar att den subjektivt upplevda föräldraförmågan, mätt genom de åtta dimensionerna av TOPSE-mätinstrumentet, är en viktig prediktor för den självupplevda föräldrabarnrelationen. / This study examines the relationship between dimensions of parental self-efficacy in relation to the subjectively perceived parent-child relationship. The survey was conducted as a cross-sectional study of quantitative design with 151 participants, parents of children 0-6 years. Participants were recruited on social media and answered a digital survey. The statistical program SPSS was used to analyze the data. Dataanalysis showed that all eight dimensions in the parental self-efficacy measuring instrument TOPSE correlated positively with the response variable parent-childrelationship. This means that the higher the self-perceived parental self-efficacy is, the better relationship parents experience with their children. Empathy and understanding were the strongest predictors, followed by control, emotion and affection, and social pressure. This study shows that parental self-efficacy, measured through the eight dimensions of the TOPSE measuring instrument, is an important predictor of the subjectively experienced parent-child relationship.

A sensitive parent-child relationship is essential in ensuring the healthy mental and physical development of an individual. Parental sensitivity can be affected by parent characteristics, such parental competence and resources as well as child characteristics, such as negative reactivity. The combination of how these parent and infant factors predict parental sensitivity has not been examined with both mothers and fathers. The current study involved 30, 4-month old infants and their mothers and fathers. Parents completed questionnaires measuring infant temperament and parental competence. They also participated in a demographic interview to measure family resources, as well as a dyadic parent-infant face-to-face play task to measure parental sensitivity. Results involving mothers indicated a moderating effect of infant temperament (e.g., negative reactivity) on the associations between parental competence (e.g., self-efficacy) and parental sensitivity. Whereas for fathers, results indicated significant main effects of infant temperament (e.g., orienting) and parental competence (e.g., self-efficacy) on parental sensitivity. The current study gives evidence and support that it is a combination of both parent characteristics and infant characteristics that affects parental sensitivity. However, this combination of characteristics is different for mothers and fathers, indicating that different factors play a part in parenting behaviors for mothers and fathers.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Divorce and self-efficacy are areas that have been studied quite widely and extensively in recent decades. Going through a divorce has an effect on how parents actually parent their children, which in turn has an effect on the behavioral, emotional, social and academic outcomes of the child. Divorce is considered a significant factor in determining emotional and social problems that children begin to exhibit. However, few research has been conducted on the relationship of divorce with parental self-efficacy and perception of parenting among divorced parents in South Africa. Therefore, this study used qualitative interviews to explore the impact of divorce on parental self-efficacy and perceptions of parenting among ten divorced parents from working to middle class community in Cape Town, South Africa. . The interviews were analyzed by making use of thematic analysis. Results showed that, although participants experienced an initial period of extreme emotional distress and feeling overwhelmed at being a single parent, their confidence in their parenting increased over time as they began to adjust to their new lives and received adequate and regular support. This was accomplished through various techniques and coping mechanisms employed by the participants, and with their social support structure playing a significant role on their parental self-efficacy. This study contributes to the research that has been conducted on parental self-efficacy, specifically, the research that has been conducted in a South African context, which has been generally lacking in terms of previous research.

As early as school-entry, children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face academic disadvantage and are at risk for cumulative and long-term academic difficulties. It is important to identify factors that contribute to better school functioning in these at-risk children, particularly during the foundational academic years, in order to inform early prevention and intervention efforts. Theory and research highlight the important role of parents in children’s overall early academic functioning. The current line of research examined parents’ belief in their ability to help their child learn, i.e., self-efficacy, as a relevant and potentially robust and malleable correlate to children’s early academic functioning. Chapter 1 outlines self-efficacy theory and previous research on parental self-efficacy and child outcomes to provide rationale for this proposed relationship. Next, the two studies in this line of research are presented. Study 1 (Chapter 2) examines the relationship of parental self-efficacy, when considered alongside child inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, to kindergarten teacher ratings of children’s academic enabler skills. Study 2 (Chapter 3) examines the relationship of parental self-efficacy and child inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms to parental involvement and the quality of the parent-teacher relationship in kindergarten. Chapter 4 discusses implications of findings in terms of the potential multi-system level benefit of having a parent that believes in their capacity to help their child learn as their child transitions into school. Finding suggest that inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms are negatively related to parental self-efficacy in this young, non-clinical sample. Findings also suggest that parental self-efficacy, when considered along with child inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms contributes to variance in some indicators of early school functioning (e.g., academic enablers, home-based parental involvement, perceived quality of the parent-teacher relationship). Limitations and future directions are also discussed.

Parents of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been shown to experience increases in stress, depression, and anxiety, which are also associated with child behavior problems related to ASD, such as aggressive behaviors and tantrums. Literature examining potential mechanisms that underlie the relationship of child behavior problems and parental anxiety/depression are scarce. The current study seeks to examine the roles of parental stress, parent self-efficacy, and emotion coaching as mediators between child behavior problems and parental anxiety/depression. Using a sample of 134 mothers who completed an online survey, these potential mediators were tested with regression analyses. Parental self-efficacy was found to mediate parental stress and parental depression/anxiety. Parental self-efficacy was also found to moderate child conduct problems and parental emotion coaching. There was a positive relationship between conduct problems and emotion coaching for mothers with high self-efficacy. Implications and future research will be discussed. / Master of Science

Parental responsivity can profoundly influence developmental trajectories and child outcomes. This study aimed to learn more about the contextual risk and protective factors that influence parental self-efficacy (PSE), depression, parenting stress, and subsequent parental responsivity in low-income mothers of preschoolers. Two models predicting responsivity were tested using longitudinal data (N = 307) from the Early Steps Multisite Study. Predictors included: parent ethnic discrimination, SES discrimination, neighborhood danger, satisfaction with social support, overall life satisfaction, neighborhood connectedness, PSE, depression, and parenting stress related to daily hassles. Structural equation modeling was used to test for overall model fit, as well as direct and indirect relations between the variables over three time points. Model 1 controlled for maternal depression, while Model 2 incorporated maternal depression into the model as a predictor at Time 1. Two post hoc models that included depression at two time points were also tested. Models 1 and 2 adequately fit the data, while the post hoc models fit the data very well. Results indicated that discrimination and perceptions of danger in the neighborhood were related to lower satisfaction with social support, lower overall life satisfaction, and lower feelings of connectedness with the neighborhood. Adverse factors also predicted maternal responsivity at Time 3. Protective factors were predictive of high PSE and responsivity over time. Earlier experiences of depression were predictive of parenting stress and depression over time. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Early Childhood development is an important phase of development, wherein the trajectory of the child’s life can potentially be determined. However, not all children experience positive outcomes, and many present with psychopathology. In particular, psychopathology in children will manifest as either externalizing behaviours or internalising behaviours. The treatment of internalising disorders becomes increasingly complex, as there isn’t always outward behaviour to give evidence to the inward difficulties. Literature amplifies the importance of the role of the parent in ensuring the well-being of the child and in working towards healthy developmental outcomes.

Various community-based mental health and family agencies offer walk-in counselling services, where clients are provided with immediate access to a single session of brief therapy without appointments or referrals. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of single-session therapy (SST) delivered within walk-in counselling clinics. This type of service delivery model has been found to be helpful for parents, who experience decreased hopelessness and psychological distress by increasing their confidence about their parenting. The purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate how parents perceived their parenting self-efficacy over time following a virtual single-session therapy at a children's mental health centre. Additionally, this study explored how parents perceived their overall experience utilizing this type of service delivery model. Eight mothers participated in a retrospective individual interview. Findings indicate that virtual SST provided parents with greater parental knowledge and concrete collaborative problem-solving strategies that improved parent-child interactions. Further, the emotional support received at the SST reduced parents' distress while increasing hopefulness in the parenting role. In addition, parents valued the accessibility and convenience of the virtual option. Overall, the findings of this study provide evidence that virtual SST can be beneficial for parents and can foster parental self-efficacy.

Schools closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with the expectation that learning continue from home. This presented a unique challenge for parents of children with special educational needs as during this time levels of stress were high and access to supports were low. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe parents of children with SEN's experiences with at-home learning as it relates to their learning-specific parental self-efficacy, perceived stress and perceived support from their child’s school. Quantitative analysis revealed that learning-specific PSE was significantly and negatively related to perceived stress. Parents did not differ in their perception of school supports. While qualitative analysis revealed many similarities between groups, it also revealed nuanced differences that show that parents of high and low PSE experienced the school closures differently. Overall, the findings of this study provide evidence that parents with high and low parental self-efficacy differ in their experiences of supporting the learning of their children with SEN. This study serves to add to the limited body of literature on learning-specific PSE, as well as inform the efforts of schools and other professionals in supporting the parents of children with SEN and their families.

Refugee families who flee their homes as a result of conflict or persecution and face stressful migration experiences often struggle with trauma that may put them at increased risk for family discord and dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to use an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of 8 refugee mothers resettled in the United States, in particular their experiences pre-, during, and post-migration, and to further examine the impact that these experiences had on their relationships to their children and families. The study also examined mothers' experiences with different forms of support systems post-resettlement. Participants were recruited through a resettlement agency in Roanoke, Virginia. This study illuminated a number of key findings to further inform research, theory, and practice with this population. Refugee mothers reported stressful and traumatic experiences across their migration, describing harsh living conditions, prolonged stays in refugee camps, and loss of children and other family members as some of the most stressful experiences. Once resettled, mothers spoke of continued challenges, including language barriers and inconsistent or arbitrary support from formal social support services. Findings also suggest resiliency among this sample of refugee families, with mothers highlighting strong relationships with their children during and post-migration. The current study further informs the family stress literature and contributes a strength-based framework to understanding challenges faced by refugee families across the migration period. / Doctor of Philosophy / Refugee families who flee their homes as a result of conflict or persecution and face stressful migration experiences often struggle with trauma that may put them at increased risk for family dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of 8 refugee mothers resettled in the United States, in particular their experiences pre-, during, and post-migration, and to further examine the impact that these experiences had on their relationships with their children and families. The study also examined mothers’ experiences with different forms of support after resettlement. Participants were recruited through a resettlement agency in Roanoke, Virginia. This study highlighted a number of key findings to further inform research, theory, and practice with this population. Refugee mothers reported stressful and traumatic experiences across their migration, describing harsh living conditions, prolonged stays in refugee camps, and loss of children and other family members as some of the most stressful experiences. Once resettled, mothers spoke of continued challenges, including language barriers and inconsistent support from social services. Findings also showed mothers’ resiliency, with mothers highlighting strong relationships with their children during and post-migration. The current study further informs the family stress literature and contributes a strength-based framework to understanding challenges faced by refugee families across the migration period.