Predictors of parenting self‐efficacy in mothers and fathers of toddlers

Background Researchers interested in child developmental outcomes have highlighted the role that parenting self‐efficacy (PSE) plays in psychosocial child adjustment. PSE is a cognitive construct that can be broadly defined as an individual's appraisal of his or her competence in the parental role. PSE has emerged in the literature as an important variable when exploring variance in parenting skills. Despite this, much remains to be learned about PSE. Little is known about the predictors of PSE, with much of the existing research conducted in a piecemeal fashion that lacks a solid theoretical framework. In addition, PSE in fathers has been understudied and relatively little is known about PSE in families with toddler age children. Informed by Belsky's process model of parenting, this study explored similarities and differences in PSE and the predictors of PSE for mothers and fathers of toddlers. Methods A total of 62 cohabiting couples whose first‐born child was 18–36 months old completed self‐report measures of PSE, general self‐efficacy, depression, marital satisfaction, parenting stress, child difficultness and family functioning. Results For fathers, parenting stress and their relational functioning (i.e. marital satisfaction and family functioning) with their spouse predicted PSE scores. For mothers, general self‐efficacy and relational functioning were predictive of PSE. Conclusions and limitations The results of this study support the use of Belsky's process model of parenting to study the predictors of PSE. Important differences were found in the prediction models for mothers and fathers. Future studies need to clarify the nature of parental self‐efficacy beliefs in fathers and continue to use comprehensive theoretical models to identify potentially relevant covariates of PSE. Limitations of the current investigation include reliance on self‐report measures and the homogeneity of the sample.     

The relationship between Developmental Co‐ordination Disorders,child's perceived self‐efficacy and preference to participate in daily activities

Background Developmental Co‐ordination Disorder (DCD) may negatively impact children's self‐efficacy and limit their performance and participation in school as well as in leisure activities performed after school hours. However, a lack of information exists regarding the relationships between DCD, child's self‐efficacy and participation. Moreover, the literature about the way children with DCD experience these limitations and report about them is scarce. This study aimed to compare the perceived self‐efficacy and the preference to participate in leisure activities of children with DCD and typical peers and to illuminate the relationship between self‐efficacy, activity preference and DCD severity. Methods Participants were 37 children with DCD and 37 typical peers, aged 5.08–9.83 years. All children performed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System and the Preference for Activities of Children. Results The scores of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children confirmed the motor gaps between the two groups. Children with DCD scored significantly lower in self‐efficacy on all the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System subscales and demonstrated a lower preference to participate in leisure activities according to all scales of the Preference for Activities of Children. The lower their self‐efficacy, the lower their motor performance and their preference to participate in activities. Conclusions Children's preference to participate in activities may be limited by motor difficulties, but further hindered by low self‐efficacy. Early identification of DCD and associated negative outcomes, also based on child's self‐reports, should receive special attention in intervention programmes in order to enhance children's self‐confidence, feelings of belonging, optimal development and participation in daily activities.     

The validity of self‐reported cancer in an Australian population study

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the validity of self‐reported cancer data by comparing it to the Australian Cancer Database (ACD). Methods: Self‐reported data were obtained from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study, which were then linked to the ACD up until 31 December 2010. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Cohen's kappa coefficient (?) was also calculated to assess the agreement between self‐reported cancer and the ACD. Logistic regression was used to examine the determinants associated with false negative and false positive reporting. Results: The overall sensitivity of self‐report cancer was 71.1%, and sensitivities showed great variation by cancer site. Higher sensitivities were observed for breast (90.7%), bowel (77.8%) and prostate (77.1%) cancers, whereas the lowest sensitivity was observed for melanoma of the skin (36.9%). Similarly, the kappa coefficient analysis showed substantial agreement for self‐reported breast cancer (?= 0.79) and moderate agreement for melanoma (?= 0.45) against the ACD. Years since cancer diagnosis and older age were associated with false negative reporting and older age was associated with false positive reporting. Conclusions and implications: The use of self‐reported cancer to collect cancer outcomes has varying reliability, depending on cancer type and population. The findings presented here may assist medical researchers in making informed decisions when conducting research using self‐reported cancer data in Australia where the acquisition of registry data is not feasible.     

Medical mistrust and patient satisfaction with mammography: the mediating effects of perceived self‐efficacy among navigated African American women

BackgroundMedical mistrust is salient among African American women, given historic and contemporary racism within medical settings. Mistrust may influence satisfaction among navigated women by affecting women''s perceptions of their health‐care self‐efficacy and their providers'' roles in follow‐up of abnormal test results.ObjectivesTo (i) examine whether general medical mistrust and health‐care self‐efficacy predict satisfaction with mammography services and (ii) test the mediating effects of health‐related self‐efficacy.DesignThe current study is a part of a randomized controlled patient navigation trial for medically underserved women who had received a physician referral to obtain a mammogram in three community hospitals in Chicago, IL. After consent, 671 African American women with no history of cancer completed questionnaires concerning medical mistrust and received navigation services. After their mammography appointment, women completed health‐care self‐efficacy and patient satisfaction questionnaires.ResultsWomen with lower medical mistrust and greater perceived self‐efficacy reported greater satisfaction with care. Medical mistrust was directly and indirectly related to patient satisfaction through self‐efficacy.ConclusionsPreliminary findings suggest future programmes designed to increase health‐care self‐efficacy may improve patient satisfaction among African American women with high levels of medical mistrust. Our findings add to a growing body of literature indicating the importance of self‐efficacy and active participation in health care, especially among the underserved.     

The role of collective efficacy in long‐term condition management: A metasynthesis

Social networks have been found to have a valuable role in supporting the management of long‐term conditions. However, the focus on the quality and how well self‐management interventions work focus on individualised behavioural outcomes such as self‐efficacy and there is a need for understanding that focuses on the role of wider collective processes in self‐management support. Collective efficacy presents a potentially useful candidate concept in the development and understanding of self‐management support interventions. To date it has mainly been utilised in the context of organisations and neighbourhoods related to social phenomena such as community cohesion. Drawing on Bandura's original theorisation this meta‐synthesis explores how studies of collective efficacy might illuminate collective elements operating within the personal communities of people with long‐term conditions. A qualitative meta‐synthesis was undertaken. Studies published between 1998 and 2018 that examined collective efficacy in relation to health and well‐being using qualitative and mixed methods was eligible for inclusion. Timing of engagement with others, building trust in the group, and legitimising ongoing engagement with the group arised as central elements of collective efficacy. The two themes forming third order constructs were related to the presence of continuous interaction and ongoing relational work between members of the group. Collective efficacy can develop and be sustained over time in a range of situations where individuals may not have intense relationships with one another and have limited commitment and contact with one another. Extending this to the personal communities of people with long‐term conditions it may be the case that collective efficacy enables a number of engagement opportunities which can be oriented towards assisting with support from networks over a sustained length of time. This may include negotiating acceptable connections to resources and activities which in turn may help change existing practice in ways that improve long‐term condition management.     

Perspectives of self‐direction: a systematic review of key areas contributing to service users’ engagement and choice‐making in self‐directed disability services and supports

Self‐directed disability support policies aim to encourage greater choice and control for service users in terms of the health and social care they receive. The proliferation of self‐directed disability support policies throughout the developed world has resulted in a growing amount of research exploring the outcomes for service users, and their families and carers. Our understanding of the issues faced by people with disabilities, particularly how they make health and social care decisions and the key areas that determine their engagement with service providers within a self‐directed environment is limited. A synthesis of research is timely and can provide knowledge for service users and health and social care support providers to ensure their successful participation. A systematic review guided by the PRISMA approach explored (i) the key areas determining service users’ engagement with self‐directed disability services and supports, and (ii) how service users make informed decisions about providers. In October 2014 and April 2016, three databases – MEDLINE, CINAHL and Web of Science – were searched for research and review articles. Eighteen sources met the search criteria. Findings were mapped into either: key areas determining service user engagement, or service users’ informed decision‐making. Findings concerning key areas determining engagement fell into three themes – personal responsibility for budgeting, personalised approaches, and a cultural shift in practice and delivery among service providers. Findings about decision‐making yielded two themes – supporting informed decision‐making and inhibiting informed decision‐making. Literature suggests that self‐directed models of care may provide service users with increased control over the services that they receive. Increased control for some service users and their families requires independent external decision‐making support, particularly around the domains of budgeting, planning and hiring. Future research must continue to investigate the perspectives of service users pertaining to their engagement, as their participation is central to the effectiveness of the approach.