The Role of Felt or Enacted Criticism in Parents' Decision Making in Differing Contexts and Communities: Toward a Formal Grounded Theory.
Sarah J Neill, Imelda Coyne
PMID 29947565WHAT IT FOUND
Parents described feeling criticized by health professionals, often through tone or nonverbal cues.
This fear was linked to delaying help-seeking, using services they expected to be less critical, or staying quiet, especially in hospitals where they felt least control.
Key findings
01Across three parent studies, criticism from health professionals was mostly felt through attitudes or nonverbal cues rather than direct verbal criticism.
02Parents' fear of criticism was linked to delayed consultation, seeking information elsewhere, using services with less risk of criticism, and reduced communication with health professionals.
03In hospital, parents reported feeling powerless, uncertain about ward expectations, and afraid to ask questions, and reported reduced two-way information sharing about their child.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
It is a secondary analysis of existing qualitative data, so it cannot show whether any communication change would reduce criticism or improve help-seeking. The data are from English-speaking European settings and small samples dominated by mothers; fathers were limited. Studies were selected partly for availability and for fit with the original theory, so contrasting data may have been missed. It describes parents' perceptions and experiences, not observed health professional behavior or patient outcomes.
Declared interests
No conflicts declared and no financial support reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that nurses intend to criticize parents or that any communication technique will reduce criticism. The study describes parents' perceptions and builds a theory; it did not test an intervention.