Submit to IJERPH Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 81765

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mirka Hintsanen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Unit of Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Interests: parenting; parent-child relationship quality; intergenerational transmission; gene × environment interactions; life-course development; temperament; personality traits; personality development; compassion; acute stress; chronic stress; work stress; health; well-being

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on “Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/journal/ijerph.

Different aspects of parenting play a significant role in child development. These effects may span long into adulthood. However, there is still much to be learned on the effects of parenting on health and well-being of the offspring. For instance, more knowledge is needed on the interactions between parenting and child genotypes, moderating effects of race/ethnicity, and moderating effects of timing of parenting in relation to developmental stage. There are also recent challenges, such as increased media use by parents and by children, which are likely to affect parenting and child outcomes in the ways that are not well understood yet.

This Special Issue is open to quantitative longitudinal studies in subject areas related to “Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being”. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Prof. Dr. Mirka Hintsanen
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Parenting
Parenting style
Parental practices
Parental involvement
Parental monitoring
Parental sensitivity
Parent-child relationship
Parent-child conflict
Attachment
Shared family time
Childcare arrangements
Family processes
Role of fathers
Media use
Gene × environment interactions
Mental health
Physical health
Well-being
Social adjustment
Public health

Published Papers (12 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Other

15 pages, 599 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parenting Stress and Broader Phenotype in Parents of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Dyslexia or Typical Development

by Paola Bonifacci, Laura Massi, Veronica Pignataro, Sara Zocco and Simona Chiodo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(11), 1878; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16111878 - 28 May 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3601

Abstract

In the present study parenting stress and the broader phenotype are investigated in two highly common developmental disorders, namely Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and specific reading impairment (dyslexia). Within a total sample of 130 parents, 27 were parents of children with ADHD (P-ADHD), 38 were parents of children with a diagnosis of dyslexia (P-DYS) and the other 65 participants were parents of children with typical development (P-TD). A battery of cognitive tasks was administered which included verbal and non-verbal Intellectual Quotient (IQ), reading speed (passage and nonwords), verbal fluency and the Attention Network Task (ANT). Reading history, symptoms of ADHD in adults and parenting stress were measured through questionnaires. Group differences evidenced that the P-DYS group had lower scores in the reading tasks, in the verbal fluency task and in the reading history questionnaire. Conversely, the P-ADHD group had more transversal cognitive weaknesses (IQ, reading tasks, verbal fluency) and the highest scores in parenting stress and ADHD symptoms, together with poor reading history. The groups did not differ in the ANT task. Parenting stress was predicted, on the whole sample, by lower socioeconomic status (SES) and number of family members and higher ADHD symptoms. Implications for research and clinical settings are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Key Messages in an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention: Are They Recalled and Do They Impact Children’s Behaviour?

by Carola Ray, Karen Campbell and Kylie D. Hesketh

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(9), 1550; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16091550 - 02 May 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3649

Abstract

Knowledge of the impact of health messages as an intervention strategy is sparse. The aim of this study was to explore recall and use of health behaviour messages among mothers, and whether recall is associated with child health behaviours. Intervention group data from the 15 months Melbourne Infant Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) were used (n = 127, children 4 months at commencement). Mothers recalled (unprompted then prompted) at 2 and 3.5 years post-intervention six key messages used in the program, and reported whether they had used them. Children’s food intake was measured by three days of 24-h recall; physical activity by accelerometers; and television viewing by parent report. Unprompted recall ranged between 1–56% across messages and follow-up points, and 37–90% for prompted recall. The most commonly recalled messages “tap into water”, “parents provide, kids decide” and “color every meal with fruit and veg” were also most commonly used. There were few associations between recall and children’s health behaviours. Given the association between recall and reported use, it is important to plan messages so they resonate well with the target group and its needs. Messages should be used as one of multiple strategies within health promotion programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

24 pages, 815 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Paternal and Maternal Influence on Delinquency among Early Adolescents in Hong Kong

by Daniel T. L. Shek and Xiaoqin Zhu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(8), 1338; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16081338 - 14 Apr 2019

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 4888

Abstract

Objective: The aim was to examine the effects of parental behaviors and the parent-child relationship on delinquency levels as well as growth rates among early adolescents, and to explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal influence of fathers and mothers. Method: The study used and analyzed data collected at Waves 1–3 (N = 2669, age 12.56 ± 0.71 years at Wave 1) in a six-year research project. Results: While both parents’ behavioral control significantly predicted a lower initial level of delinquency, only higher behavioral control of fathers predicted a fast increase in delinquency. In contrast, parental psychological control did not serve as significant predictors in the individual growth curve model. Besides, relationships of father-child and mother-child dyads negatively predicted the initial level of delinquency but not the rate of change in adolescent delinquency. When all factors were investigated simultaneously, fathers’ behavioral control and the relationship between mother and child were robust cross-sectional predictors, whereas only the latter was a stable longitudinal predictor of adolescent delinquency. Conclusions: Parenting and the parent-child relationship are predictors of adolescent delinquency. It is necessary to differentiate between: (1) adolescent delinquency level and its change rate over time; (2) different aspects of parent-child dyadic factors; and (3) paternal and maternal factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 300 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family Functioning and Psychological Health of Children with Mentally Ill Parents

by Silke Wiegand-Grefe, Marlit Sell, Bonnie Filter and Angela Plass-Christl

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(7), 1278; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16071278 - 10 Apr 2019

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 9701

Abstract

Parental mental illness can be linked to reduced family functioning, which is associated with more conflicts, less adaptability and cohesion as well as a disorganized pattern of everyday planning. Concurrently, family functioning is an important moderator for the influence of parental mental disorders on the development of the children. Consequently, the current study addresses the correlation of family functioning in families with mentally ill parents and the psychological health of the children. The sample consists of 67 mentally ill parents. Both parents and therapists completed questionnaires related to family functioning and the psychological health of the children. Family functioning was rated as dysfunctional in 38% of the families. The psychological health of the children was classified as clinical or subclinical in 43% of the cases. 52% of the children were rated to have no psychological problems. In families with good family functioning, children were assessed to have less psychological problems than in families with poor functioning. Children outside the clinical range lived in families with good family functioning and vice versa. Significant positive correlations were found between the FB-A scales, the CBCL/4-18 syndrome scales and the CBCL/4–18 total score. Results indicate that family functioning and psychological health of children in families with mentally ill parents correlate closely and represent potential targets for future family interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

14 pages, 846 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Parental Acceptance–Rejection in Emotional Instability During Adolescence

by Santiago Mendo-Lázaro, Benito León-del-Barco, María-Isabel Polo-del-Río, Rocío Yuste-Tosina and Víctor-María López-Ramos

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(7), 1194; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16071194 - 03 Apr 2019

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7189

Abstract

The present study focuses on analyzing the relationship between the parental acceptance–rejection perceived by adolescents and emotional instability from the early stages of adolescence. Special attention will be paid to potential differences between mothers and fathers. A total of 1181 students, aged 11–17, took part in the study. We used the factor of emotional instability in the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ-NA) and an affect scale (EA-H) to measure parental acceptance–rejection. The analyses performed show a clear association between emotional instability with maternal/paternal criticism and rejection. Specifically, maternal criticism and rejection in early adolescence and paternal criticism and rejection in middle adolescence were associated with emotional instability, confirming the association between children’s and adolescents’ emotional adjustment and family dynamics. This study makes interesting contributions to understanding paternal and maternal rejection during the different stages of adolescence. These differences should be incorporated into the research on parental influence and its role in the development of personality among adolescents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 441 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parents’ Perception of Their 2–10-Year-Old Children’s Contribution to The Dyadic Parent-Child Relationship in Terms of Positive and Negative Behaviors

by Wolfgang Briegel, Jan Greuel, Sanna Stroth and Nina Heinrichs

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(7), 1123; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16071123 - 28 Mar 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4074

Abstract

Parent-child relationship is developed and changed through reciprocal interactions between a child and his/her parent, and these interactions can strongly influence the child’s development across domains (e.g., emotional, physical, and intellectual). However, little is known about the parental perception of the child’s contribution to the dyadic parent-child relationship in terms of positive and negative behaviors. We therefore aimed to develop and validate an economical parent-report instrument to assess these important aspects. The validation study included 1642 mothers (M_age = 37.1) and 1068 fathers (M_age = 40.4) of 1712 children aged 2–10 years (M_age = 6.6) who completed the new instrument, the Child Relationship Behavior Inventory (CRBI). Statistical results indicated that the CRBI is a reliable and valid measure. Mothers reported more positive child behaviors towards them, whereas fathers perceived fewer problems with problematic relationship behavior than mothers. In their parents’ perception, girls showed more positive and less problematic relationship behaviors than boys. The frequency of problematic child relationship behavior significantly decreased with increasing child age while positive relationship behavior did not show any correlation with the child’s age. To assess both positive and negative child relationship behaviors could be helpful to better understand the relevance of these different aspects for the development of the parent-child relationship. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

14 pages, 336 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationships between Parent-Reported Parenting, Child-Perceived Parenting, and Children’s Mental Health in Taiwanese Children

by Ching-Yu Huang, Yi-Ping Hsieh, April Chiung-Tao Shen, Hsi-Sheng Wei, Jui-Ying Feng, Hsiao-Lin Hwa and Joyce Yen Feng

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(6), 1049; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16061049 - 23 Mar 2019

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 9301

Abstract

The current study examines the relationship between parents’ and children’s reports of parenting and their effects on children’s mental health symptoms. Six hundred and sixty-six parent-child dyads in Taiwan participated in this study. The parents and the children filled out the parenting questionnaires, and the children also reported their general mental health. The results demonstrated that parental-reported and child-perceived parenting were positively correlated, but parents tended to report lower scores on authoritarian parenting and higher scores on Chinese parenting than did their children. There were also significant gender differences: The mothers reported higher authoritative parenting than did the fathers; and the boys perceived higher authoritarian and Chinese-culture specific parenting than did the girls. Moreover, the Chinese parenting had a negative effect on children’s mental health outcomes. Finally, our results showed that children’s perception of parenting had a stronger effect on children’s mental health symptoms than did parental reports on parenting, urging future research to include the children’s report when investigating the effects of parenting on children’s mental health outcomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

18 pages, 465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preventative Intervention for Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Toddlers and Their Families: A Pilot Study

by John McAloon and Karina D. Lazarou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(4), 569; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16040569 - 16 Feb 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4576

Abstract

Preventative intervention early in life is key to interrupting trajectories toward subsequent emotional and behavioural problems later in life. This study examined the effectiveness of the Holding Hands program, an innovative program of preventative intervention aimed at improving the behavioural and emotional functioning of 12 to 48-month-old toddlers, and the wellbeing of their parents. This program seeks to synthesise the existing evidence in four ways; it incorporates both traditional Parent Management Training and Direct Coaching methods. It is intensive, significantly reducing session numbers and it explicitly addresses parental emotion regulation. The program also utilises operant learning principals in an effort to contingently reinforce behaviour that parents want to see more of, without employing exclusionary strategies in response to behavior that parents want to see less of. Thirty-one families, with a toddler who met clinical or sub-clinical cut-offs for externalising or internalising problems, were self- or externally-referred to the six- to eight-week program. Results indicated statistically significant improvement in toddler emotional and behavioural functioning, and parent well-being on a range of psychometric measures from pre- to post-treatment. Treatment gains were maintained for parents and children at follow-up. Implications of these findings for clinical practice and suggestions for future research are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 294 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Maternal Parenting Styles and Glycemic Control in Children with Type 1 Diabetes

by Riitta Hannonen, Kaisa Aunola, Kenneth Eklund and Timo Ahonen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(2), 214; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16020214 - 14 Jan 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3713

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in parenting styles between mothers of children with type 1 diabetes and mothers of healthy children and to explore relationships between parenting styles and glycemic control of children with diabetes. Mothers of 63 children with diabetes and mothers of 83 children without diabetes reported their parenting styles using the Blocks’ Child Rearing Practices Report, when their child was 9–10 years old. Glycemic control of the children with diabetes was evaluated 1 year after diagnosis (<6 years of age) and at the time of the study (at 9–10 years). Mothers of children with diabetes used more psychological control than mothers of healthy children. Among girls with diabetes, poorer early glycemic control was associated with mothers’ subsequent greater use of psychological control. Behavioral control was positively associated with poorer current glycemic control. In boys, psychological control was positively associated with poorer current glycemic control. Psychological control in families with diabetes needs attention, because it has shown to be associated with poorer diabetes care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

17 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Role of Parenting Style in Children’s Behavioral Problems through the Transition from Preschool to Elementary School According to Gender in Japan

by Rikuya Hosokawa and Toshiki Katsura

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(1), 21; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph16010021 - 21 Dec 2018

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 16821

Abstract

While ineffective discipline can be attributed to authoritarian and permissive parenting styles, little research has examined the role of gender in the association between parenting style and early childhood behavioral problems. Thus, this study aimed to clarify the effects of authoritarian and permissive parenting on children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviors during the preschool-to-elementary-school transition according to gender in Japan. A sample of 1668 Japanese children (853 boys and 815 girls) were followed longitudinally over one-year intervals, and assessed based on parenting styles (the Parenting Scale), children’s behavioral problems (the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and family characteristics. Multivariate analyses revealed that, when analyzed by gender, authoritarian discipline influenced externalizing problems in boys (β = 0.048, p = 0.047) and girls (β = 0.067, p = 0.023), while permissive discipline influenced externalizing problems in boys only (β = 0.049, p = 0.038). The results document the relationship between family processes and the development of disruptive behavior disorders in children. Support for parents employing such child-rearing styles in early childhood may be effective in reducing school maladjustment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

13 pages, 309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mother’s Fruit Preferences and Consumption Support Similar Attitudes and Behaviors in Their Children

by Barbara Groele, Dominika Głąbska, Krystyna Gutkowska and Dominika Guzek

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(12), 2833; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph15122833 - 12 Dec 2018

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3240

Abstract

Insufficient fruit intake is observed worldwide despite the generally higher preference for consumption of fruits than vegetables. For children, the determinants of consumption, such as at-home accessibility and parental consumption patterns, may especially influence fruit intake. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between fruit consumption behaviors and the preferences of mothers and their declared behaviors and preferences of children. The study was conducted in national samples of Polish (n = 1200) and Romanian (n = 1157) mothers of children aged 3–10 years (random quota sampling; quotas: age, education and place of residence) by using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI). Mothers were asked about their general frequency of fruit consumption and their and their children’s most preferred fruits. A 24-h dietary recall of fruit intake was conducted for mothers and children. Significant associations were observed for (1) fruit consumption behaviors of mothers and children, (2) fruit consumption preferences of mothers and their declared preferences of their children, and (3) fruit consumption preferences of mothers and behaviors of their children. The associations were very strong for all fruits, both for Polish and Romanian samples. In order to increase the fruit intake of children, it is necessary to influence the fruit consumption preferences and behaviors of mothers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

Other

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 889 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Conceptualizing Family Influences on Children’s Energy Balance-Related Behaviors: Levels of Interacting Family Environmental Subsystems (The LIFES Framework)

by Christina Y.N. Niermann, Sanne M.P.L. Gerards and Stef P.J. Kremers

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(12), 2714; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph15122714 - 01 Dec 2018

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 10210

Abstract

Healthy or unhealthy behavioral patterns develop and are maintained in a family context. The importance of the family environment for children’s and adolescents’ energy balance-related behaviors (EBRBs) has been shown previously. However, the way different family environmental factors are interrelated and interact with personal factors (e.g., motivation) are not well understood. Furthermore, the majority of studies have focused on the parent-child subsystem. However, there are family-level socialization dynamics that affect the development of a healthy lifestyle beyond the impact of parenting behaviors. The current paper aims to synthesize theoretical and empirical literature on different types of family influences. The Levels of Interacting Family Environmental Subsystems (LIFES) framework incorporates family influences on three levels (immediate, proximal, distal) and of three subsystems (individual, parent-child, family), relates them to each other and postulates potential paths of influence on children’s EBRBs. Several studies examining specific sections of the framework provide empirical support for LIFES’ propositions. Future studies should place their research in the context of the interrelationship of different family environmental influences. A better understanding of the interrelated influences would enhance the understanding of the development and maintenance of overweight and obesity among children and is crucial for the development of effective interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Parenting and Offspring Health and Well-Being

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (12 papers)

Research

Other

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI