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Parenting interventions are a well-established treatment for addressing child behavior problems that have also been shown to improve parent psychosocial health. Yet, little is known about how caregiver emotional experiences change over time during treatment. In response, the purpose of this study was to explore the emotional experiences of mothers following their participation in an evidence-based parenting intervention. Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of existing qualitative data. The study sample included semi-structured interview data from 17 mothers who previously completed the GenerationPMTO parenting intervention. Data analysis followed the grounded theory approach and included a sequential process of open, axial, and selective coding using the constant comparative method. Findings indicate mothers progressed through three distinct, yet interrelated stages of emotional experience: Before PMTO, their experiences were characterized by parenting through crisis (Stage 1); during PMTO, they transitioned to crisis stabilization (Stage 2); and following PMTO, they described experiences of emerging recovery and resilience (Stage 3). Maternal emotional experiences in each stage occurred across three contextual realms: (a) the individual (intrapersonal) level, (b) the parent-child relationship level, and the broader systemic level. Results highlight the dynamic and evolving nature of maternal emotional experience throughout various stages of the intervention process and suggest how these experiences may be associated with promoting effective parenting practices and positive child outcomes., (© 2019 Family Process Institute.)

Objectives: This study examined the external influences and internal processes in parental beliefs, perceptions, and emotions regarding the parenting of adolescent children and the role of parental indulgence., Methods: Interviews of 29 parents of adolescents, who were approximately 15 years old, were conducted regarding the perceptions of parental indulgence they had experienced and currently practice. The study incorporated a family ecosystem approach with qualitative analytic methods including MAXQDA to identify thematic findings., Results: Findings revealed three themes and their subthemes: (1) Responding to the external world: Family life adjustments and indulgence, which encompassed (a) Family life adjustments (i.e., divorce, separation) and managing (b) Increased demands (i.e., responsibilities at home and school); (2) Reflecting on the parenting patterns in hindsight-Internal search for clarity and effectiveness with an in-depth (a) Parent reflection process regarding their choice to indulge, and (b) Clear parenting choices, or, exceptions to indulgence; and (3) Reconciling personal experiences of being parented: Discontinuity and continuity, involved reflections on parents desire to change or keep the parenting practices modeled by their caregivers. Emotional experiences were shaped by parents' own perceptions that parenting needs to be effective, but vulnerability occurred when faced with distractions in the family due to internal pressures such as marital disruptions and external stresses of social norms and cultural expectations., Conclusions: Results demonstrate how parents emotionally cope with pressure and how multiple emotional undertones potentially drive their decisions to indulge. Directions for future research are discussed., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: All authors declare no conflict of interest.

The link between maternal depression and negative child outcomes has been well-established; however, less is known regarding the impact of harsh parenting on child outcomes, especially for women living with depressive symptoms and whom also experienced child maltreatment. The purpose of this study was to examine harsh parenting practices as a mediator in this known association, in order to examine factors associated with negative child outcomes and to explore a reduction in future transmission of risk. Mediation analyses were conducted with 2 samples of mother-child dyads at separate time points (child age 6: n = 325; and youth age 12: n = 213) using data collected from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect. Only women who reported a history of childhood maltreatment were included in this study. Positive, significant associations were found between maternal depressive symptoms and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms at both ages. Further, partial mediation was established among maternal depressive symptoms, child outcomes, and harsh parenting practices. Analyses demonstrated that mothers with depressive symptoms and a history of maltreatment reported use of psychological and physical aggression with their children (age 6) and youth (age 12). Findings from this study bolstered existing research on maternal depression and child outcomes and extended current knowledge of the role of harsh parenting for children age 6 and youth age 12. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).