'I don't want him to always be so far behind': Parental perceptions of child independence in the context of extreme prematurity; a qualitative study.
Emmi Suonpera, Katie Gallagher, Neil Marlow and 1 others
PMID 38798176WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of extremely preterm adolescents split into three groups: those trusting their child will succeed, those expecting indefinite care, and those working hard to force independence.
Intensive parenting persisted when parents feared their child would fall behind peers.
Key findings
01Three distinct parental outlooks emerged: believing independence is guaranteed, expecting limited independence requiring indefinite care, or believing intensive effort is needed to achieve independence.
02Parents who feared their child would 'always be so far behind' compared to peers adopted intensive 'pushing for normality' behaviours, viewing their own effort as the primary driver of future competence.
03Mothers were predominantly the main carers, and mothers of children with severe impairments did not discuss shared caregiving responsibilities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was predominantly mothers, with missing perspectives from fathers. The interviewer was a clinical assessor from the cohort study who had prior knowledge of the families, which may have influenced what parents shared. Parents may have felt compelled to demonstrate 'adequate' parenting by emphasising their efforts due to the societal pressure of parental determinism. The study did not include feedback from participants on the findings.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the Medical Research Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the parents' intensive efforts as evidence that such interventions improve child outcomes. The study describes parental perceptions and behaviours, not the efficacy of these actions.