Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents

BACKGROUND Parental behaviors are key in shaping children’s psychological and behavioral development,crucial for early identification and prevention of mental health issues,reducing psychological trauma in childhood.AIM To investigate the relationship between parenting behaviors and behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.METHODS From October 2017 to May 2018,7 kindergartens in Ma’anshan City were selected to conduct a parent self-filled questionnaire-Health Development Survey of Preschool Children.Children’s Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire(Parent Version)was applied to measures the children’s behavioral and emotional performance.Parenting behavior was evaluated using the Parental Behavior Inventory.Binomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between the detection rate of preschool children’s behavior and emotional problems and their parenting behaviors.RESULTS High level of parental support/participation was negatively correlated with conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal total difficulty scores and abnormal prosocial behavior problems.High level of maternal support/participation was negatively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms and abnormal peer interaction in children.High level of parental hostility/coercion was positively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms,abnormal conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal peer interaction,and abnormal total difficulty scores in children(all P<0.05).Moreover,paternal parenting behaviors had similarly effects on behavior and emotional problems of preschool children compared with maternal parenting behaviors(all P>0.05),after calculating ratio of odds ratio values.CONCLUSION Our study found that parenting behaviors are associated with behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.Overall,the more supportive or involved the parents are,the fewer behavioral and emotional problems the children experience;conversely,the more hostile or controlling the parents are,the more behavioral and emotional problems the children face.Moreover,the impact of fathers’parenting behaviors on preschool children’s behavior and emotions is no less significant than that of mothers’parenting behaviors.

Main focus of parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the effectiveness of early clinical screening

BACKGROUND Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)is a common mental and behavioral disorder among children.AIM To explore the focus of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder parents and the effectiveness of early clinical screening METHODS This study found that the main directions of parents seeking medical help were short attention time for children under 7 years old(16.6%)and poor academic performance for children over 7 years old(12.1%).We employed a two-stage experiment to diagnose ADHD.Among the 5683 children evaluated from 2018 to 2021,360 met the DSM-5 criteria.Those diagnosed with ADHD underwent assessments for letter,number,and figure attention.Following the exclusion of ADHD-H diagnoses,the detection rate rose to 96.0%,with 310 out of 323 cases identified.RESULTS This study yielded insights into the primary concerns of parents regarding their children's symptoms and validated the efficacy of a straightforward diagnostic test,offering valuable guidance for directing ADHD treatment,facilitating early detection,and enabling timely intervention.Our research delved into the predominant worries of parents across various age groups.Furthermore,we showcased the precision of the simple exclusion experiment in discerning between ADHD-I and ADHD-C in children.CONCLUSION Our study will help diagnose and guide future treatment directions for ADHD.

Does Parental Migration Affect Left-Behind Children’s Social Anxiety?A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Social anxiety is a common psychological problem among left-behind children(LBC)and has been a popular issue in recent years.Children with higher levels of social anxiety have more emotional and behavioral problems and are prone to negative life events.Although several studies have explored the differences in social anxiety between LBC and non-left-behind children(N-LBC),the findings have not been consistent.In this study,a systematic review and meta-analysis method was used,with 411 papers retrieved on October 01,2023,from Pubmed,Embase,Web of Science,and Chinese databases(CNKI,VIP,and Wanfang)(PROSPERO registry number:CRD42023472463).Twenty-one studies met the research criteria and included 11,254 LBC and 13,096 N-LBC.LBC scored significantly higher for social anxiety([WMD(95%CI):0.35[0.23,0.48],p<0.001])and social avoidance and distress([WMD(95%CI):0.35[0.23,0.48],p<0.001]).Subgroup analyses showed significant differences in effect sizes for the overall proportion of children left behind(p=0.02).In addition,different types of parental migration may influence the social anxiety of LBC,double-parent migration was associated higher social anxiety than father migration(p<0.001).Future research should focus on treatments to decrease social anxiety of left-behind children.These findings suggest that due to the long-term absence of parental migration,LBC are more vulnerable to negative emotional experiences and behaviours such as anxiety,distress,and avoidance during social interaction,especially for those with both parents absent from the home.Future research should focus on treatments to reduce social anxiety in LBC.

Navigating Silence: A Comprehensive Review of Parental Roles in the Rehabilitation of Children with Hearing Loss

This narrative literature review delves into the multifaceted realm of parental involvement in the rehabilitation of children with permanent hearing loss. While existing research has made strides in elucidating parental roles in this context, critical gaps persist, necessitating a comprehensive exploration to inform future endeavors. Our review synthesizes a wide array of studies, identifying these gaps and emphasizing the significance of addressing them. Themes emerging from the literature include the varying degrees of parental engagement, the impact of cultural and socio-economic factors, and the challenges faced by families navigating rehabilitation processes. The synthesis of this literature not only highlights the current state of knowledge but also provides a roadmap for future research efforts. By addressing these gaps, we aim to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of parental involvement in the rehabilitation of children with permanent hearing loss, ultimately fostering improved support systems and holistic care for affected families.

Relationship between Authoritative Parenting Style and Preschool Children’s Emotion Regulation:A Moderated Mediation Model

An authoritative parenting style has been shown to promote children’s emotion regulation in European-American family studies.However,little is known about how sleep problems and the child’s sibling status in Chinese families affect this relationship.Based on family system theory,this study attempts to better understand the relationship between authoritative parenting style and emotion regulation.Mothers of preschool children in Chinese kindergartens completed questionnaires about their children’s sleep habits,their authoritative parenting styles,and children’s emotion regulation.A total of 531 children participated in this study.Results showed that authoritative parenting was positively associated with emotional regulation.Sleep problems mediated the effects of authoritative parenting style on emotion regulation.The child’s sibling status moderated the mediating effects of sleep problems in authoritative parenting and emotion regulation relationships.Specifically,the relationship between the authoritative parenting style and sleep problems was significant for only children,while birth order had no significant influence on the authoritative parenting style and sleep problems in two-child families.These findings suggest that a lowauthoritative parenting style predicts low emotion regulation through sleep problems,and this depends on the child’s sibling status,indicating that children without siblings may impair emotion regulation due to increased sleep problems.

“I Dread the Heart Surgery but it Keeps My Child Alive”—Experiences of Parents of Children with Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Anomalies during the Assessment for Cardiac Reoperation

Background:Parents of children with complex right ventricular outflow tract(RVOT)anomalies are confronted with their child’s need for heart surgery early in life and repeated reoperations later on.Preoperative assessment needs to be performed whenever an indication for reoperation is suspected.The aim was to illuminate the experiences of parents of children diagnosed with RVOT anomalies,in particular,how they experience their child’s heart disease and everyday life during the assessment and after the decision on whether to perform a reoperation.Method:Individual interviews(n=27)were conducted with nine parents on three occasions between 2014 and 2016 and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results:The analysis resulted in the following five main coexisting themes:The heart surgery keeps my child alive illuminates parents’experiences during and after the assessment and emphasizes that heart surgery,although dreaded,is central for their child’s survival;Everyday struggles illuminates the different struggles parents had to face to ensure that their child would be in the best possible condition;the remaining three themes,Unconditional love,Trust in life,and Togetherness,illuminate the ways in which the parents gained inner strength and confidence in their everyday lives.Conclusion:Although the parents were grateful for the assessment and had learned to navigate among the fears it aroused,they experienced several distressing situations during the assessment process that should be addressed.By inviting both the parents and their child to participate in the child’s care,individualized support can take into account the needs of both parents and child.

Stages of Emotional Experience of Parents of Children with Cochlear Implantation (CI)

Rehabilitation is a set of measures aimed at compensating or fully restoring the functions of the patient impaired by the disease. In the rehabilitation of children with a cochlear implant, a comprehensive, systematic approach is essential in the work of doctors, teachers, sign language teachers, psychologists, and families. Rehabilitation and social adaptation of children with a cochlear implant depend not only on specialists but also on the ability of parents to help the child organize educational activities in an optimistic mood and the ability to provide emotional support. This means that the role of parents in the way to successful rehabilitation is high, and therefore this topic is especially relevant today. .

Meta-analysis on the effectiveness of parent education for children with disabilities

BACKGROUND Parents of children with disabilities often have difficulty understanding their child’s behavior and are unable to do it appropriately because they do not know what to do.The more we properly understand children with disabilities,the more positive the importance of parent education becomes in various aspects.AIM To demonstrate the effectiveness of parent education for children with disabilities in various aspects and present it as evidence that can be used clinically.METHODS For a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of parent education for children with disabilities,literature was collected from 2002 to 2022 using PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,Directory of Open Access Journals,and Europe PMC.Search terms were“disabled children,”“disabled children,”“parent education,”“parent training,”and“parent coaching.”The final searched literature included a total of 11 articles.To calculate the effect size,the mean,standard deviation,and sample size of the experimental and control groups were analyzed,and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan version 5.4.1.To analyze statistical heterogeneity,a chi-square test was performed to evaluate the significance of Q statistics to indicate statistical heterogeneity.RESULTS The final literature totaled 11 articles,and a total of 4 items were analyzed.There were 5 studies on parental depression,the heterogeneity was 98%,and the effect size for parental depression was 0.35[confidence interval(CI:0.30-0.40)],indicating a small but statistically significant effect size.There were 4 studies on parenting attitude,the heterogeneity was 100%,the effect size on parenting attitude was 0.41(CI:0.37-0.46),which was a medium effect size,and the P value showed a statistically significant score.Additionally,face-to-face parent education was found to have a larger effect size than non-face-to-face education.Regarding parent education methods,face-to-face parent education had a medium effect size[0.57(CI:0.52-0.61)],while non-face-to-face parent education had a small effect size[0.23(CI:0.18-0.28)].CONCLUSION Parental education has shown high effectiveness in child development,and it has proven to be even more effective when face-to-face parenting education is conducted.Accordingly,more effective and objective data was presented.Based on this study,it is believed that parent education research applying various diagnostic groups should continue to be conducted.

Impact of parenting styles on preschoolers’behaviors

In this editorial,I comment on the article“Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents”which was published in the latest issue of“World Journal of Clinical Cases”that demonstrates the prevalence of behavioral disorders in preschool children.Therefore I am focused on parenting which is the most effective factor shown to affect the development and continuity of these behaviors.The management of child behavior problems is crucial.Children in early ages,especially preschoolers who are in the first 5 years of life,are influenced by dramatic changes in various aspects of development,such as social,emotional,and physical.Also,children experience many changes linked to different developmental tasks,such as discovering themselves,getting new friendships,and adapting to a new environment.In this period,parents have a critical role in supporting child development.If parents do not manage and overcome their child’s misbehavior,it could be transformed into psychosocial problems in adulthood.Parenting is the most powerful predictor in the social development of preschool children.Several studies have shown that to reduce the child’s emotional and behavioral problems,a warm relationship between parents and children is needed.In addition,recent studies have demonstrated significant relationships between family regulation factors and parenting,as well as with child behaviors.

Lived experiences with unmet supportive care needs in pediatric cancer:Perspective of Chinese children and their parents

Objective:Unmet supportive care needs(SCNs)impact pediatric cancer patients and their parents.This study aimed to explore the unmet SCNs from the perspective of Chinese children with cancer and their parents through lived experiences.Methods:The data of this study was collected using face-to-face semi-structured interviews.The participants were recruited from the oncology units of three children’s hospitals in China’s cities(Shanghai,Guangzhou,and Hefei)from October 2020 to December 2021.Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s sevenstep phenomenological analysis method.Results:Eight pediatric cancer patients and twenty-four parents were enrolled in the study.Four main themes and eight subthemes(both children’s and parent’s perspectives)were generated:1)meeting the ongoing needs along the cancer trajectory(can you tell me what comes next;our needs are growing);2)communicating with a family focus(they only talk to my parents;let each family member have a voice);3)providing care beyond the treatment(I am bigger than my body[the children’s needs for emotional consolidation and information about their prognosis];there are things beyond treatment);4)getting support from the community(I am not a monster[the children were unhappy about being treated differently];we want to connect with the resources near us).Conclusion:This study revealed multiple unmet SCNs from the perspective of Chinese children with cancer and their parents.The findings call for comprehensive and in-depth supportive care beyond treatment,integration of the family member voice in pediatric cancer care,and a coordinated pediatric cancer support mechanism in the Chinese healthcare system.

Parents' experience of caring for children with type 1 diabetes in China's Mainland: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND Parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM)are under heavy caregiving stress,and parental caregivers'experience can affect the health outcomes of children with T1DM.AIM To describe the true inner feelings of parents caring for children with T1DM.METHODS Descriptive research methods were used to classify and summarize parents'experience when adapting to the role of caregivers for children with T1DM.The data was sorted and analyzed using content analysis.Themes of parents'experience caring for children with T1DM were refined,and their feelings were deeply investigated.RESULTS A total of 4 themes and 12 subthemes were identified:(1)Desire for information(disease-related information,home care information,and channels of information acquisition);(2)Skill guidance needs(insulin injection techniques,skills required for symptom management,and skills for parent-child communication);(3)Seeking emotional support(family support,peer support from other parents of children with T1DM,and professional support);and(4)Lack of social support(needs for financial support and needs for social security).Exploring the true experience of parents caring for children with T1DM is of great significance for helping them adapt to their role as caregivers.Nurses should provide professional guidance in terms of information,skills,emotion,and social support to parental caregivers.

Validity and reliability of Turkish version of the scales of perceived stigma for children with epilepsy and their parents

Purpose:This study aims to establish a Turkish version of the scales of perceived stigma amongst children with epilepsy and their parents by adopting the scales developed by Austin et al.This study also aims to analyse the scales'validity and reliability in evaluating stigma perceptions amongst the aforementioned population.Methods:The population of this methodological study consisted of parents and 85 epileptic children between 9 and 16 years old.This population visited the paediatric neurology clinic of a hospital in Erzurum Province,Turkey,between April 2015 and January 2016.The scales of perceived stigma amongst children with epilepsy and their parents,as well as its Turkish version,were used as measuring tools.Experts were also consulted for their opinions.Meanwhile,Bartlett's test,Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO)index,exploratory factor analysis,principal component analysis,varimax rotation and scree plot test were used to determine the validity of the study,Moreover,the coefficients of Cronbach'sαand Pearson's product-moment correlation were used to identify internal consistency,homogeneity and thus reliability.Results:Evaluations and analyses indicated that the Turkish version of the child and parent scales can be used with a single dimension.The mean scores of such scales were 24.02±8.47 and 15.68±4.04,respectively.All item-total score correlations of the child and parent scales were found to be significant(P<0.05).The KMO coefficient of the child scale was 0.94,whereas the chi-square value of Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant at 209.311(P<0.05).Moreover,the KMO coefficient of the parent scale was found to be 0.80,whereas the chi-square value of Bartlett's test of sphericity was found to be significant at 209.311(P<0.05).The Cronbach'sαcoefficients were 0.95 and 0.87 for the child and parent scales,respectively.Conclusion:The Turkish version of the child and parent scales of perceived stigma is valid and reliable in measuring the perception of stigma amongst children with epilepsy and their parents.

A Study to Assess the Psychosocial Problems and Quality of Life of Parents with Asthmatic Children in Opd’s of Ramaiah Hospitals, Bengaluru

The study was undertaken to assess the level of psychosocial problems and quality of life of parents with asthmatic children in Ramaiah hospitals, Bengaluru. Statement of the problem: “A study to assess the psychosocial problems and quality of life of parents with asthmatic children in opd’s of Ramaiah hospitals, Bengaluru”. Objectives of the study: 1) To assess the level of psychosocial problems and level of quality of life of parents with asthmatic children. 2) To find the correlation between scores of psychosocial problem and quality of life among parents with asthmatic children. 3) To find the association between level of psychosocial problem and selected socio demographic variables. 4) To find the association between level of quality of life and selected socio-demographic variable. Method: A descriptive survey approach was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 50 parents with asthmatic children. Data was collected through interview schedule by using structured rating scale to assess psychosocial problems and quality of life. Data was collected and analyzed using descriptive and Inferential statistics in terms of frequencies, Percentage, Mean, Mean percentage, Standard deviation, Karl Pearson’s correlation co-efficient and chi-square test. Findings: The major findings of the study indicated that majority of the parents with asthmatic children that is 33 (66%) were having moderate psychosocial problems and 16 (32%) were having mild psychosocial problem and 1 (2%) were having severe psychosocial problem and 38 (76%) were having good quality of life, 8 (16%) were having better quality of life and 4 (8%) were having poor quality of life. Karl Pearson’s correlation co-efficient test revealed that there is a correlation that exists between psychosocial problem and quality of life of parents with asthmatic children 0.314 weak positive correlation. Chi-square test revealed that there was no significant association between level of psychosocial problems and quality of life with selected socio demographic variables at 0.05 level of significance. Interpretation and conclusion: The findings show that majority of the parents with asthmatic children had moderate level of psychosocial problems (66%) and majority had good quality of life (76%). There is no significant correlation between psychosocial problem and quality of life. There is no significant association between psychosocial problem and quality of life with selected socio demographic variable. This null hypothesis was accepted.

Disclosure of Parental HIV Positive Status: What, Why, When, and How Parents Tell Their Children in the Era of HAART in South Africa

The aim of the study was to explore the decision to and the process of disclosure of parental HIV status to children. Focus group interviews were conducted with 21 parents of 39 children aged 7 - 18 years. Participants were recruited from a highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) program of an academic hospital in South Africa. Parents disclosed more to older children than to younger children in the same family, and the breadth and depth of the information shared was depended on the age of the child. Communication with adolescent children included topics on HIV prevention and unsafe sexual practices. For parents with a long history of sickness, disclosure occurred soon after the diagnosis was made, when they had not commenced with antiretroviral treatment (ART). They disclosed to prepare their children for HIV related emergencies and imminent death. Parents also expected support from their older children after disclosure. Some parents were forced to disclose because children suspected their HIV status, and parents could not continue to hide symptoms like severe weight loss. In addition, parents disclosed to educate children on how to protect themselves from HIV infection. For most parents, disclosure was unplanned, emotive, and burdened with anxiety and fear of rejection by their children. However, when the decision to disclose was made, parents were honest and open and informed their children that they were HIV positive. Parents may benefit from disclosure support services, and health care providers can assist parents in deciding when and how to disclose.

Children’s Health, Parent-Child Activities, Using Digital Devices, and Social Competence: Serial Mediation

Background: Studies have pointed out the influence of different children’s activities and prolonged use of digital products on their social development. However, whether the parent-child activities and using digital devices were serial mediators of the relationship between children’s health and social development needs further verification. Purpose: This study explored how parent-child activities and children’s use of digital devices influence the relationship between children’s health and their social competence. Method: This study used data from Kids in Taiwan: National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care. A total sample of 2164 participants was used in this study. Serial mediation analyses were performed using model six of Hayes’ PROCESS (2012). Results: This study found that parent-child activities and the use of digital devices can serially mediate the relationship between children’s health and social competence. Children’s health could directly improve their social competence, but it could also serially mediate social competence by increasing parent-child activities and reducing the use of digital devices. Conclusion: Childcare policy planners and parenting educators should not only call on parents to reduce the use of electronic products for their children, but also encourage parents to spend more time interacting with their children, so that children can learn social skills by interacting with others in their daily lives.

Overview of Intervention Programs for Parents of Young Children (0 - 6)

In most of the world’s societies and cultures, the biological mother and father bear primary responsibility to?care for their child’s needs and to guide him or her through the process of entry into society [1]. The parent serves, for the most part, as the significant figure with the greatest amount of influence over the child’s life. Through his parent, the child learns the skills necessary to experience the world and function in it, whether the skills are in relation to survival needs such as eating, washing and mobility or developmental and social needs such as forming social relationships and developing the capacity to think and learn through play and supervision [2]. Thus the parent plays a critical but complex role in the development of his or her child, a role that requires development of a wide range of new behavioral, communicational, cognitive and emotional skills and capabilities in order to understand and cope with the challenges of child-rearing. Similarly, parenting styles and characteristics are influenced by a number of variables: The parent, the child, the interaction between them, and environmental variables such as culture, socio-economic status, and the existing family unit [2]. When children who suffer from behavioral difficulties do not receive the parental care they need, there is reasonable cause for concern that difficulties will develop in adulthood in a range of life areas that will have an impact on their lives and well-being and on their ability to adapt to society and contribute to it [3]. Accordingly, over the past 50 years parent-training programs have been developed to strengthen parents through learning and providing tools of experience and developmental knowledge, for the purpose of promoting the child’s sense of wellbeing and quality of life [2] [4]. Objective: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of evidence-based interventions for parents of young children (0 - 6), programs that are currently active in Israel and in the world, and to explicate the significant characteristics common to them that contribute to their effectiveness and success.

A comparison of the quality of life of parents of children using hearing aids and those using cochlear implants

Objective:The goal of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of parents of children who use hearing aids(HA)with those who use cochlear implants(CI)in the Indian context and document any differences found.Methods:The Kannada version of the AQoL-4D was administered in a modified fashion to 131 parents(87 HA and 44 CI).Sociodemographic details were collected for supplemental information on the intervention strategy used.Results:A total of 49 parents(29 HA and 20 CI)responded to the questionnaire sent.The mean total scores for both the groups were similar(HA group=17.9(SD=5.5),CI group=17.2(SD=3.4)),as was the score for the first subscale(HA group=8.6(SD=2.9);CI group=8.5(SD=2.6))of the AQoL-4D.No significant differences were found between the two groups on either scores[Total Score:U(N_(HA)=29,NCI=20)=280.5,z=0.194,p>0.05;Subscale 1 Score:U(N_(HA)=29,NCI=20)=281.5,z=-0.176,p>0.05].The degree of hearing loss in the hearing aid group was equivalent to that of the cochlear implant group but this did not appear to influence parental quality of life.Conclusion:Parents of children with hearing aids and cochlear implants appear to be similar on several psychosocial factors in the realms of functional,social,and psychological well-being.In terms of parental quality of life,hearing aids and cochlear implants appear to be equally effective intervention techniques.

The Lived Experience of Parents of Children with Sickle Cell Disease: A Qualitative Study

Background: Sickle cell disease is an inherited hematological disorder that inflects complex demands on the lives of the children and their families. Aim: To describe the lived experience and everyday strains of parents of sickle cell disease children. Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews with 11 parents of children with sickle cell disease in Jordan. Results: Emerged themes were: 1) the catastrophe, which summarized the effect of the confirmed diagnosis of sickle cell disease in the children on the parents, 2) parenting hardships, which highlighted aspects of parents’ reported challenges and needs while caring for their sickle cell disease children, and 3) networking and support, which described patterns of support that parents sought to fulfil needs for support and information. Conclusions: Healthcare providers should carefully assess the complex caregiving demands and altered family dynamics that the parents of children with sickle cell disease face. Parents’ psychosocial health issues should be essential elements in planned care of children with sickle cell disease. Nursing and social work professionals can play a vital role in developing and implementing a comprehensive model of care with community-based approach and strategies to maximize the wellbeing of sickle cell disease children and their parents.

Exploring the Views of Parents of Children Following Telephone Advice from Nurses Working in a GP Out-of-Hours in Ireland

This paper focuses on parents’ use and experiences of general practitioner (GP) out-of-hours (OOHs) services in Ireland. The progress in the establishment of GP OOHs services is considered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to be a highly significant quality initiative for patient care, and the health service as a whole. Outside of normal GP surgery hours, parents of children can call a dedicated telephone number, to have their urgent health concerns assessed and to be advised about the appropriate level of care. Experienced nurses, who are often based in a GP OOHs centre, assess the call over the telephone and provide advice to the callers. The spur for conducting this study arose from my personal and professional experience which, I believe, underscores the need for exploring and understanding parents’ views of GP OOHs services, in order to bring about change in nurses’ practice of delivering advice over the telephone. The overall aim of the study is to explore and understand the views of parents of children, aged two years and under, following telephone advice received from nurses in the context of a GP out-of-hours service. A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive design was used to examine the views and experiences of parents of children aged two years and under, who used a GP out-of-hours service provider in Ireland. Nine parents who had received phone advice from a nurse were purposively sampled to take part in the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews by telephone. Data were transcribed and analysed thematically. Themes included parents’ perceptions of illness in children with the need to be heard, parents’ views about accessibility to GP OOHs, parents’ expectations that the service would offer guidance and reassurance, parents’ satisfaction with the nurse’s advice, and parents’ experiences of hospital emergency departments (EDs). Suggestions for improving the GP OOHs service were made across these themes. The suggestions include: higher staffing levels, wanting a quicker call back, preference for face-to-face assessment over telephone advice and a preference for a children’s area in the GP OOHs. The study revealed that parents are satisfied with the GP OOHs service and the parental decision-making model has the potential to provide an opportunity to continue the progress of the establishment of GP OOHs services in Ireland.

Education is the key to protecting children against smoking: What parents think and do

The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ communication with their children about the topic of smoking. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Twenty-nine parents who lived in rural communities and who had children in kindergarten to Grade 6 were interviewed. The data were analyzed for themes. A large majority of parents communicated with their children about smoking through verbal interaction, using any one of three approaches: discussing smoking with their children, telling their children about smoking, or acknowledging their children’s understanding of smoking. Those parents also had shown disapproval of smoking, which took different forms and varied from explicit messages in their verbal communication to implicit messages in their behaviours. Three parents had not verbally communicated at all with their children about smoking. Overall, the parents’ communication patterns with their children varied in terms of quality and coherence with recommendations in the literature.