Role Differences and the Importance of Parenting Behaviors In an Early Childhood Separation Program

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to conduct an investigation about parenting perceptions in an early childhood separation program for toddlers. Due to the important role of parents, caregivers, and teachers for the children in this program, 67 participants completed the Parent Behavior Importance Questionnaire-Revised (PBIQ-R), a questionnaire applicable for both parents and non-parents based upon the parent development theory (PDT). This first quantitative glimpse into how a program of this nature conceptualizes parenting demonstrated significant results when comparing parents and teachers within the parenting dimensions of Bonding, General Welfare and Protection, Responsivity, and Sensitivity and when comparing caregivers and teachers within the dimension of negative parenting. Other inquiries included investigating the difference between non-parent and parent participant responses and how age of participants may impact responses to the PBIQ-R. This study also gave participants the opportunity to share thoughts, reactions, and specifically explain what influenced their responses on the questionnaire. This study has the potential to impact programs of this nature in terms of providing evidence based research for staff development, furthering dialogue amongst parents, caregivers, and teachers, and guiding programmatic changes.