AI Insight
Researchers developed and validated a new online questionnaire assessing 10 parenting competencies using data from 16,986 parents across 133 countries. The study found that "Love and Affection" was the strongest predictor of positive child outcomes (including happiness, health, and success), while "Safety" was the least predictive among the 10 competencies measured. Total scores on the questionnaire positively correlated with self-reported parenting quality and child wellbeing, and parents with formal parenting training scored higher.
Why it matters
This research suggests that effective parenting can be broken down into specific, measurable, and trainable competencies, providing evidence-based guidance for parenting education programs. The findings emphasize that emotional connection and affection should be prioritized in parenting interventions and training curricula.
Understand the Science
ObjectivesThe main objectives of this study were to provide preliminary evidence of the validity of a new online test of parenting competencies and to determine the relative value of 10 competencies that have been shown in empirical studies to be helpful in parenting.MethodsWe examined data obtained from a diverse convenience sample of 16,986 parents in 133 countries (53.3% from the U.S.) who completed the new online parenting questionnaire. We employed a concurrent study design to assess the validity of the new instrument. In a double-blind procedure to assess content validity, 11 parenting professionals rated both the competencies and the questionnaire items. To assess criterion validity, we used regression analyses to examine the relationship between questionnaire scores and participants’ answers to questions about the quality of their relationship with their children, how highly they rated their own parenting ability, and the happiness, health, and success of their children.ResultsTotal scores were positively correlated with answers to our five criterion questions (p < 0.001), suggesting relatively strong criterion validity for the new questionnaire. Internal consistency reliability was also high. Regression analyses suggested that the competency we labeled Love and Affection was the best predictor of good outcomes with children and that the competency we called Safety was the least valuable of the 10. Effects were found for gender (with females slightly outscoring males), race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, number of children, and education level. Total scores were higher for parents who had had parenting training, and more training was associated with higher scores.ConclusionThe study supports the view that parenting can be broken down into measurable and trainable competencies and provides guidance regarding how such training should be conducted.