Articles tagged with Parenting
A recent study found that grandparent childcare does not significantly impact maternal mental health and wellbeing, nor does it reduce mother-child conflict. In fact, poor maternal wellbeing at age three was linked to poor child social and emotional outcomes at age seven.
A Rutgers study found that fear of missing out (FOMO) is a significant driver for regretful parents to have children, with 7% of parents saying they would not have children if they could do it over again. The study analyzed narratives from Reddit's /r/childfree community and identified FOMO as a key discourse among regretful parents.
A new study from North Carolina State University explores how racism shapes Black motherhood in the US, revealing distinct challenges and stresses faced by Black mothers. The study categorizes these effects into three areas: protective mothering, resistance mothering, and encumbered mothering.
Research by the University of Leeds found that fathers who engage in interactive activities with their children, such as reading and playing, have a positive impact on their educational achievement. The study suggests that even small changes in father-child interaction can have lasting benefits for children's learning.
A new study in rodents reveals that infant cries prompt the release of oxytocin, a brain chemical controlling breast milk, in mothers. The study shows how sound information travels to the brain, triggering the hormone release, which continues for around five minutes.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that first-time fathers face a steeper decline in relationship satisfaction following childbirth compared to second-time fathers. Second-time fathers experience an increase in relationship satisfaction within 14 months postpartum, returning to baseline levels.
A new prison parenting program in Australia, led by Belinda Lovell, has been developed to ease the strain of separation and maintain mother-child bonds. The program involves direct input from Aboriginal women and includes positive parenting skills to encourage successful parenting after release.
A new study found that increased paternal involvement in childcare is associated with lower risk of developmental delay and promotes young children's development by reducing maternal parenting stress. High levels of paternal engagement yield advantages for both children and mothers.
A new study from the University of Essex finds that modern parental pressures and expectations are leaving children with less time for independent play. This is leading to concerns about children's development and increased sedentary behavior due to technology. The study suggests a need for a culture shift where policymakers encourage ...
The study reveals that women physicians prioritize family building over career advancement, leading to a shift in their professional paths. Women in medicine experience significant alterations to their careers due to fertility concerns and family planning, contributing to ongoing gender disparities.
A nationwide Finnish study found that premature parental death is strongly linked to poor mental health and lower earnings in adulthood for both sexes. Boys are more vulnerable than girls, with nearly twice the odds of hospital admission for intentional self-harm after losing their mother prematurely.
A new study reveals that adults with multiple young children in the household report significantly fewer minutes of vigorous physical activity each week compared to those with few or no children. This finding highlights the need for family-based physical activity interventions to promote overall physical activity levels among parents.
Mothers with a criminal record and care experience face negative judgements and excessive scrutiny due to their 'known' status. The study emphasizes the need for supportive dialogue across disciplinary boundaries to break cycles of stigma and social care involvement, focusing on safe spaces and trust-building for care-experienced mothers.
Children with parental cancer history face higher rates of unmet economic needs, including food security, housing affordability and transportation access. The study highlights the need for strategies to identify and support these vulnerable children.
A new study by Boston University School of Public Health found that women who turned 35 in recent years and those without children are most at risk of excessive alcohol consumption. The study's findings highlight the need to address unhealthy drinking habits among middle-aged women, particularly those without children.
The study found that fathers who supported their partners' breastfeeding goals had higher rates of successful breastfeeding initiation and continuation. Fathers were also more likely to implement safe sleep practices when they received guidance on infant sleep safety. However, racial disparities in safe sleep practices persist, with Bl...
A new study from the University of Illinois found that fathers who use constructive conflict resolution strategies show more involvement and warmth towards their children, leading to positive child development. This approach can help minimize stress and promote healthier family dynamics.
Research finds that positive parenting strengthens brain resilience against childhood stress, reducing deleterious effects on hippocampal volume and behavioral problems. The study supports evidence for interventions promoting positive parenting, associated with improved youth outcomes.
A new family-based treatment approach for childhood obesity has been successfully implemented in pediatric primary care settings, leading to improved weight outcomes over 24 months. The treatment's effectiveness was found to extend beyond the treated child, with siblings also experiencing improvements in weight.
A pilot study found that short-term therapy sessions with parents and their children in homeless shelters reduce parental stress and children's post-traumatic stress symptoms. Mothers reported improved parenting skills and reduced stress symptoms after participating in evidence-based parenting interventions.
A landmark study by University of Cambridge researchers found no difference in psychological wellbeing or quality of family relationships between children born through assisted reproduction and those born naturally. However, mothers who disclosed their child's origins early on reported more positive relationships and lower anxiety and ...
A study of 7,500 Irish children found that harsh discipline increases the risk of developing lasting mental health problems. Children exposed to 'hostile' parenting at age three were 1.5 times likelier to have high-risk mental health symptoms by age nine.
Research from the University of Minnesota Medical School found weight stigmatizing experiences are common among adolescents and associated with higher prevalence of disordered eating behaviors. Positive family and parenting factors can help alleviate this stressor but cannot completely protect young people from negative effects.
Adolescents with positive parent-adolescent relationships exhibit favorable outcomes in young adulthood, including better physical and mental health. Investing in improving these relationships may have substantial benefits for the young adult population's overall health.
A new study suggests that children's well-adjustment depends on their parents' views on co-parenting. Children of low-income couples with positive co-parenting relationships tend to have better outcomes, while those with poor or moderately good relationships may experience poorer adjustment, especially when fathers are less positive ab...
A new study found that California's Insurance Gender Nondiscrimination Act led to a significant increase in gender-affirming surgery utilization. The data suggests that similar policies could inform state legislative efforts to protect transgender and gender-diverse patients' health coverage.
Researchers found that clinicians ordered more frequent newborn drug tests for Black newborns after recreational cannabis legalization, highlighting concerns about structural racism and disproportionate testing. The study calls for further exploration of how institutional racism affects healthcare outcomes for Black families.
A recent study by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University found that ethnic minority parents in Inner Mongolia prefer evidence-based knowledge on family education tailored to their local environment and culture. They sought information on how geographical features like the geomagnetic field influence children's growth and well-being.
A pooled data analysis of 16 studies found that most family outcomes were similar between sexual minority and different sex parent families, with some advantages in child psychological adjustment and child-parent relationships. However, risk factors such as stigma and discrimination can negatively impact family outcomes.
A survey of US parents found one-quarter reported misrepresenting COVID-19 prevention measures for their children. The most common reason was preserving parental autonomy. Additional reasons included wanting to resume normal life and balancing work responsibilities.
Research shows that parental social support and psychological control significantly impact LGBTQ youth's depressive symptoms. High psychological control, however, was linked with more depressive symptoms in those whose parents did not know their identities.
Growing up in less safe environments can lead to physical and mental health limitations in adulthood. Parents who show they care about their kids' lives can positively impact their health.
A study by Princeton University researchers found that children are more likely to know an emotion label when they also know many related valenced words. Parents can support young children's learning of emotion labels by surrounding them with related words, such as
A University of Arizona-led study found that expectant lemur dads see a significant increase in estradiol during their mates' pregnancies, which may help prepare them for parenting. The hormone spike occurs mainly in the third trimester and is associated with increased maternal sensitivity.
A new study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that poor coparenting relationships among fathers are linked to depression. The study suggests that screening fathers for their coparenting status during infancy and toddlerhood could help prevent mental illness in both parents and children.
A recent study by North Carolina State University found that adult children in separated families receive substantially less emotional, material, and instrumental support from their parents. This often results in disadvantages for these children due to limited access to resources. The study also highlights the importance of providing a...
Internet-delivered parent-child interaction therapy shows promise in expanding care for underserved children with developmental delay. The study found significant improvements in child behavior that were maintained across follow-up visits.
A new study reveals that mothers working from home during the pandemic took on significantly more supervisory parenting responsibilities than fathers, often spending an extra two hours managing childcare duties. The researchers also found that women were more likely to adapt their work schedules to accommodate changing family needs.
A cross-cultural study found that Ugandan mothers have more relational attitudes toward parenting, while UK mothers focus on autonomy. Despite these differences, infant experiences vary across cultures.
A new national study found that adult children are over four times more likely to be estranged from their fathers than mothers. The study, conducted by Ohio State University researchers, tracked child estrangement in over 8,000 mother-child and father-child relationships. Results showed that factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, and ...
A new study published in Frontiers found that parental methods to help toddlers sleep are related to their behavioral development. The researchers discovered that passive sleep-supporting techniques were associated with lower fussy temperaments and higher sociability scores, while active techniques were linked to more challenging tempe...
A new study from the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health found that certain weight-related words lead to emotional distress in adolescents. Preferred terms included 'healthy weight' and 'normal weight', while words like 'obese,' 'fat,' and 'extremely obese' elicited negative emotions.
A new study explores how corporal punishment impacts neural systems, linking it to increased anxiety, depression, and altered brain activity. The research found that adolescents who experienced physical punishments showed a larger neural response to error and a blunted response to reward.
A study found that parental intervention can lead to increased conversations about safe sex, condom use, and HIV testing among gay and bisexual youth. The online toolkit helped parents improve their interactions with their sons, resulting in better sexual health outcomes.
A large study of over 5,800 tween children found that growing up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged household can have lasting effects on brain development, with different patterns of connections between brain regions observed. Parental education emerged as the most significant factor associated with variations in brain connections.
A new study warns that a lack of support for children's non-attendance from teachers and local authorities can lead to parents losing faith in the education system. Experts call for policies to be reformed to take account of underlying causes, rather than adopting a punitive approach.
A new study by Dr. Geva Shenkman Lachberg found that there are no differences between same-sex parents and heterosexual parents when it comes to their desire for more children. The ideal number of children in families surveyed was around three, similar to the national average.
A US study of 166,000 childbirths from 2018-2021 found persistent racial and ethnic disparities in severe maternal morbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Policy reforms to address residential segregation and structural racism are warranted to improve maternal health.
Research found that harsh parenting can lead to increased DNA methylation, predisposing children to depression. The study compared 21 adolescents with good parenting to 23 with harsh parenting and found significant differences in DNA methylation levels.
Research shows that children learning to navigate complex social situations are often given mixed messages about honesty and dishonesty by their adult caregivers. The study found that adults judge blunt truth-tellers more harshly when they lie to be polite, but reward subtle truths that protect others.
A study by Oregon State University found that dogs with owners who have high expectations and respond well to their behavior are more social, secure, and persistent problem solvers. The research suggests that understanding a dog's needs is crucial for raising secure and resilient dogs.
A recent analysis published in Contemporary Economic Policy found that 6-week paid family leave in California saved 339 infant lives from 2004-2008. The study also revealed a significant reduction in post-neonatal mortality rates for infants with married mothers and boys.
A study of 11,600 adolescents found e-cigarette ads and peer influence significantly associated with starting vape use. Efforts to address youth vaping should consider reducing ad exposure and peer pressure measures.
A systematic review of studies on working mothers found that conflicting demands between job and parenting roles negatively impact mental health. Organizations can support employees by providing access to paid maternity leave, flexible work arrangements, and co-worker support.
Researchers discovered that carrying and walking with crying infants for five minutes significantly reduces their distress and promotes sleep. The study suggests a new approach to soothing infant crying, which may improve long-term sleep outcomes.
A new study published in Current Biology found that carrying crying infants for 5 minutes can promote sleep and reduce crying. The technique, known as the Transport Response, involves steady walking followed by sitting before laying the baby down to sleep. This method offers an immediate solution for parents of newborns struggling with...
A new study finds that neon goby parents help their offspring develop by pushing them out the door at the right time. Offspring hatched by parents are larger and more developed than those that hatch on their own, suggesting a complex parenting behavior. This discovery highlights the surprising complexities of fish parenting behavior.
A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reveals that parents' eating behaviors play a significant role in shaping their teenagers' emotional eating habits. The research found that restrictive feeding practices and monitoring food led to increased emotional eating, while a parent's restrained eating beha...
A new study by the University of Georgia found that praising children's personal traits or innate abilities can dampen their math motivation and achievement over time. Parents who focus on strategy use and effort tend to give more process-oriented responses, which are linked to better math adjustment in children.
Global COVID-19 excess mortality estimates indicate that 10.5 million children lost one or both caregivers and 7.5 million children experienced COVID-19-associated orphanhood through May 2022. This significant loss of family members has a profound impact on the mental and physical well-being of affected children.