The purpose of this study was to develop a measure to assess parental attitudes toward childrearing. Through a review of the literature, seven constructs delineating varying maternal attitudes, styles and patterns were identified; Maternal Warmth, Control, Indulgence, Protection, Sensitivity, Play and Learning Receptivity. Employing item and correlational analyses, items were constructed and revised resulting in a new research instrument: The McGill Parental Attitude Toward Childrearing Questionnaire (MPATCR). Other variables considered included prior parenting experience, maternal age, ethnicity, occupation, employment, socioeconomic status, education, infant gender and medical birth complications. / The results substantiated the importance of previous research findings indicating the importance of certain variables in differentiating childrearing attitudes and styles. Suggestions for modifications of the instrument and further research are discussed.

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Access to abstract restricted until 07/2015. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

En s’appuyant sur un devis qualitatif, ce projet de mémoire avait pour objectif d’explorer comment les perceptions et les attitudes de parents canadiens sont influencées par quatre variations d’un message de promotion de la vaccination contre la rougeole. Ces messages, rédigés dans un format journalistique, différaient selon le type de contenu (narratif et émotif vs factuel) et selon la source d’un témoignage qui y était inclus (provenant d’une mère ou d’un médecin). Quatre groupes de discussion réunissant 28 parents de jeunes enfants ont été réalisés à Québec et à Winnipeg. Les attitudes vaccinales des participants étaient diversifiées : la plupart étaient favorables à la vaccination, certains étaient hésitants ou incertains et un parent avait refusé presque tous les vaccins pour ses enfants. Bien que le projet soit exploratoire, les résultats ont indiqué l’existence d’une interaction entre le type de message et la source du témoignage. Un message factuel dans lequel un médecin témoignait était généralement apprécié, en particulier par une majorité de parents hésitants à la vaccination qui valorisaient l’accès à des informations balancées pour exercer un consentement éclairé. Une histoire narrative et émotive, dans laquelle une mère témoignait au sujet de l’hospitalisation de son enfant non vacciné pour la rougeole, était aussi appréciée par les parents en général. Elle confortait plusieurs parents dans leur décision d’avoir accepté la vaccination et était perçue comme plus marquante. Par contre, deux participants étaient rebutés par l’aspect émotif de ce message et avaient la perception qu’on voulait les manipuler. Des réactions négatives ont aussi été observées par rapport à certains aspects des deux autres messages testés. Ces résultats rappellent l’importance d’évaluer rigoureusement des messages de promotion avant de les diffuser à la population.

The purpose of this study was to gain information about expectant parents' attitudes and beliefs about issues dealing with infants born with ambiguous genitalia, a condition known as intersex. A sample of 118 expectant parents (30 males, 88 females) completed a questionnaire that included the Sex-Role Stereotyping Scale and Sexual Conservatism Scale (Burt, 1980), and assessed perceptions of the effects that an intersex condition and surgical treatment would have on a child's life, attitudes toward the medical and social issues of raising an intersexed child, and the likelihood to agree to surgical treatment under various circumstances. Gender of participant, reportedly knowing the sex of expected baby, gender-role beliefs, attitudes toward sexuality, prior knowledge of the term "hermaphrodite," and importance of sexual functioning were related to measures on attitudes toward intersex issues. / Department of Psychological Science

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This thesis is primarily an analysis of two unstructured questions from a mail questionnaire sent, in 1956, to adopters in Quebec, Ontario, New York, Ohio and California. The method we have used is that of content analysis which is described in another section of this introduction. [...]

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Parental involvement at Shady Lane Elementary School is lower than the district average, which might be contributing to low levels of student achievement. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore attitudes of parents at the school and selected parental involvement behaviors. The framework for this study was the theory of planned behavior. The focus of research question 1 was the relationship between parents' attitudes toward the school and parental involvement in the form of communicating, volunteering, and learning at home. The focus of research question 2 was the relationship between parents' attitudes toward parental involvement and parental involvement in the form of communicating, volunteering, and learning at home. The covariates were parents' level of education, employment status, and income. Survey data were collected from 108 parents of students in Grades 1-5. Descriptive statistics showed parents had low levels of all 3 types of parental involvement and negative attitudes toward the school and that parents' attitudes toward parental involvement were almost equally positive and negative. Spearman correlations showed a positive correlation between both independent variables (parents' attitudes toward the school and parental involvement) and communicating, volunteering, and learning at home. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive predictive relationship between parents' attitudes toward the school and communicating and learning at home, and between parents' attitudes toward parental involvement and communicating, volunteering, and learning at home. Results may be used to improve students' achievement as a result of improved parental involvement.