Positive parenting of children with developmental disabilities: A meta-analysis
Highlights
► We examined association of parenting and outcomes for children with developmental disabilities. ► 1990–2008, 14 studies with 576 participants, 41% female, 50% with Down syndrome. ► Random effects weighted average effect size indicates moderate significant association. ► Effect sizes higher for older parents, younger children, and Down syndrome. ► Overall beneficial effect of positive parenting on functional outcome of children.
Introduction
For more than 40 years researchers have examined the relationship between parenting styles and child development outcomes. Many of these studies have been based on the work of Baumrind, 1966, Baumrind, 1971, Baumrind, 1989 and her typological approach describing authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles. The authoritative parenting style or features of authoritative parenting, considered “positive” forms of parenting, have uniformly been associated with positive child development outcomes (Baumrind, 1989, Gray and Steinberg, 1999, Hart et al., 2003).
Although a large body of literature now exists supporting the relationship between positive parenting and child outcomes for typically developing children, fewer studies have examined the association between positive parenting and child outcomes for children with developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, and autism. Positive parenting of children with disabilities is a particularly relevant area of investigation due to the many stressors these parents experience (Dabrowska and Pisula, 2010, Gray, 2006, Kersh et al., 2006), which may impact their parenting. Furthermore, the relevant literature is fragmented and has not been synthesized in any systematic review.
Consequently, a meta-analytic study examining the relationship between positive parenting and child development outcomes for children with developmental disabilities is warranted. The present meta-analysis is intended to address the following research questions: (a) Is positive parenting reliably related to child development outcomes for children with developmental disabilities? (b) What child and study variables moderate the association between positive parenting and child development outcomes?
Section snippets
Conceptual underpinnings of the association between positive parenting and child outcomes
The prototypes of three distinct parenting styles emerged in the 1960s, when Baumrind (1966) investigated permissive, authoritative, and authoritarian parenting. A permissive parenting style is one that is non-punitive, accepting, and non-demanding. On the opposite end of the spectrum is an authoritarian parenting style where parents attempt to influence and control the child in order to maintain obedience and respect for authority. An authoritative parenting style is described as one that is
Positive parenting of children with disabilities
While research exists regarding parenting styles of caregivers of children with developmental disabilities (Pino, 2000), the literature is scarce when parenting styles are investigated in light of children's functional outcomes. The extant literature is also limited to a small range of participants. Most of the research has investigated parenting styles of mothers rather than fathers. Also, few studies exist which include children with disabilities other than Down syndrome.
Although the research
Literature search
In order to obtain published and unpublished studies (journal articles, book chapters, doctoral dissertations, and master's theses) that examined the association of positive parenting behaviors with outcomes of children with developmental disabilities, we conducted extensive searches using the following electronic databases: Academic Search Premier, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) databases, Family and Society
Descriptive characteristics
Statistically non-redundant effect sizes were extracted from 14 studies, with a total of 576 participants (Table 1). Across studies, the average age of children at initial evaluation was 3.2 years (range = 1.6–6.4), with an average of 41% being female. Seven studies (50%) involved children with Down syndrome, two studies (14%) involved children with developmental delays, two studies (14%) involved children with diagnosed autism, one study (7%) involved children with cerebral palsy with
Discussion
The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated an overall beneficial effect of positive parenting upon the functional outcomes of young children with developmental disabilities. Across all 14 studies reviewed, the random effects weighted average effect size was r = .22, indicating a moderate, statistically significant association. When the complexity of the variables and their associated limitations of measurement are taken into account, the clinical significance appears substantive. Hundreds of
Source of funding
Work associated with this research was supported by grants from the Brigham Young University's David O. McKay School of Education, and TP Industrials, Inc., in Provo, UT.
Conflict of interest
No conflicts of interest exist among the authors, the research, and the funding sources for this study.
Acknowledgments
The authors express appreciation to the student researchers who assisted with locating and coding the studies: Jennie Bingham, Raquel Bowman, Joe Boyer, Raquel Cavarrubias, Devin Dupree, Tifani Dustin, Jana Halverstadt, Josh Kirton, Matthew Martin, Kirti Potkar, Lisa Smith, Heather Stephenson, Kalie Thornock, Hillary Tresnak, and Aimee Tubbs.
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2021, Research in Developmental DisabilitiesCitation Excerpt :A positive perception of parenting enables parents to reframe and accept their children's condition, which results in positive parenting (Cappe, Wolff, Bobet, & Adrien, 2011; Gupta, 2007; Hastings et al., 2005; Lickenbrock, Ekas, & Whitman, 2011; Manning, Wainwright, & Bennett, 2011; Suzuki et al., 2015). As a result, this condition leads to increased encouragement, praise and compliments towards the children, which positively influences quality of life (Aran, Shalev, Biran, & Gross-Tsur, 2007; Dyches et al., 2012; Ellis & Nigg, 2009; Raya et al., 2013; Sangawi et al., 2018). The manner in which the positive perception of parenting is related to positive parenting may be relatively unique to the Indonesian culture and context.
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References marked with an asterisk indicate studies included in the meta-analysis.