Pretesting Parenting Instruments with Indigenous Fathers and Two-Spirit Parents: A Qualitative Study.
Era Mae Ferron, Michelle L Butt, Nicole Goodfellow and 4 others
PMID 41637218WHAT IT FOUND
Six Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents found common parenting and depression questionnaires confusing, culturally narrow, and unsafe around self-harm wording.
They asked for plain language, clearer scales, and immediate culturally safe support before use.
Key findings
01Participants reported unclear terminology and response options, including words above a fifth-grade reading level and a confusing PSOC response order.
02Participants raised cultural safety concerns about the EPDS self-harm item, including fear of mandatory reporting and the need for direct Indigenous support if distress is disclosed.
03Participants recommended additions to capture parenting and wellbeing more fully, such as questions about child activities, family or friend support, finances, and open comment spaces.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small, with six participants, and did not include Inuit fathers or Two-Spirit parents. Five of six participants had taken part in an earlier phase, so they were already familiar with the research team and project. Fathers and Two-Spirit parents who are less connected to services or hesitant about research may be underrepresented. The tools are Euro-Western and retain cultural biases, even after refinement. The revised tools have not yet undergone formal testing for accuracy or cultural fit.
Declared interests
The authors reported funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, declared no conflicts of interest, and stated the funders had no role in design, collection, analysis, interpretation, or writing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that the tools are culturally safe or accurate for Indigenous parents. The study only gathered feedback from six parents, and the revised tools still need formal testing before broad use.