OVERVIEW
When mothers and fathers possess strong knowledge of parenting and child development, they are better able to help their children thrive. Child Trends reviewed the literature on parenting knowledge among first-time parents with young children (2 years and younger). Specifically, we examined research on what parents know and want to know about parenting and child development, where they get their information, and what sources of information they trust. Among our findings:
- Most parents lack the knowledge they need and want. Research strongly suggests that first-time parents of infants and toddlers want to know more about parenting and child development, yet they have difficulty obtaining clear and trustworthy information.
- The amount of information available to parents is overwhelming and the quality is inconsistent. There are numerous sources of information on parenting and child development (e.g., internet, newsletters, service providers, friends and family, etc.). However, the amount of information can be daunting to parents and the quality is inconsistent.
- The sources of parenting and child development knowledge that parents use do not necessarily reflect their preferences for receiving information. Parents often seek information on parenting and child development, but they do not receive sufficient information from preferred sources, such as pediatricians. Instead, they may turn to lesstrusted sources like the internet.
- Variability in parenting knowledge across groups of parents has not been wellexamined. Studies suggest considerable variation in parenting knowledge within samples of white, middle-class mothers, but little research has investigated this variation within and across other groups of parents (fathers; parents from various racial and ethnic backgrounds; families at different income levels; rural families), which could inform targeted intervention.
- Little is known about what strategies are most likely to improve parenting knowledge. Parenting interventions have demonstrated effectiveness in increasing parenting knowledge, but it is unclear which strategies are most effective and why.
Recommendations
Recommendations for research, practice, and policy—based on a review of the literature on parenting knowledge—include the following:
- Use more rigorous methods to study how parenting knowledge varies across groups of parents and how interventions can be tailored to their needs. Researchers can build a strong evidence base that represents the full diversity of parents in the United States to help lay the foundation for effective policy and practice to improve parenting knowledge.
- Increase engagement of parents in discussions on parenting and child development. Many service providers are well-positioned to engage parents in in-depth conversations about parenting and child development and to provide families with information and guidance. Policies and practices that support family engagement (e.g., professional development, adequate time with families during primary care visits) could improve parenting knowledge.
- Offer parents specific guidance on user-friendly sources that represent the best available evidence to date. Parents benefit from clear, actionable, and science-based information on parenting, but they also need support to navigate the many sources available to them. Service providers can offer specific guidance to parents on how to identify credible sources and enhance their capacity to select and use this information successfully.
- Investigate strategies from other fields of practice to identify optimal methods of dissemination. Fields of practice such as behavioral science, marketing, and public health have identified effective strategies for disseminating information. Policymakers, service providers, and researchers can identify and test strategies from these and other fields in the context of interventions to improve parenting knowledge.
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