Content and Presentation of Content in Parental Education Groups in Sweden

Abstract

This study investigated parents' experiences of parental education groups at antenatal and child health care centers, including content, presentation of content, the leader's role, and the importance of other participating parents. Twenty-one interviews with 26 parents from 6 cities across Sweden were analyzed with 3 content analysis approaches. Parents expressed both satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the content, presentation of content, and the leader's role. They reported that social contact with other parents was important, that parenthood topics were covered less frequently than child and childbirth-related topics, and that group activities were less frequent than lectures. When designing future parental education groups, it is important to consider expanding parenthood topics and group activities because this structure is considered to provide support to parents.

Walk the talk: Leader behavior in parental education groups

“…The findings might be explained by earlier studies revealing a lack of training in group leadership for leaders (Forslund Frykedal et al, ; Lefèvre et al, ), lack of competence in managing groups and teaching methods, as well as difficulties in identifying parents' needs (Forslund Frykedal et al, ). The results also support and can provide better understanding of parents' reports of a shortage of group activities (Berlin et al, ; Forslund Frykedal & Rosander, ), a lack of leadership ability in PE groups (Berlin et al, ; Forslund Frykedal et al, ), and the most frequent teaching method used in PE groups being lectures (Berlin et al, ). The present study showed that leaders used their expert role most of the time, and mediated information and expert knowledge.…”

“…Worldwide, expectant and new parents are offered early parenting support in parental education (PE) groups, which is a health‐promoting effort focusing on preparing parents for childbirth and a healthy transition to parenthood (Barlow, Smailgagic, Huband, Roloff, & Bennett, ; Berlin, Törnkvist, & Barimani, ; Bryanton, Beck, & Montelpare, ).…”

“…The transition to parenthood has been described as overwhelmingly stressful with feelings of insecurity, insufficiency, and unpreparedness for the new role (Asenhed, Kilstan, Alehagen, & Baggens, ; Barimani, Rosander, & Berlin, ; Taylor & Johnson, ). Therefore, one important goal of PE groups is to promote a healthy transition to parenthood, thereby promoting children's health and psychosocial development (Berlin et al, ; Bryanton et al, ; Lefèvre, Lundqvist, Drevenhorn, & Hallström, ).…”

“…Parents attending PE groups emphasize the importance of these groups and are relatively satisfied with the content (Berlin et al, ), find it meaningful to socialize with other parents (Berlin et al, ; Hjälmhult, Glavin, Okland, & Tveiten, ; Lefèvre et al, ), and have a preference for an interactive learning approach discussing with other participants (Berlin et al, ; Forslund Frykedal & Rosander, ). However, parents report a lack of ability of health professionals to lead the groups (Berlin et al, ; Forslund Frykedal et al, ; Lefèvre et al, ).…”

“…Apparently, health professionals experience a lack of competence in leading PE groups (Forslund Frykedal et al, ; Lefèvre et al, ), which might result in difficulties in performing their tasks and roles. In several studies, pedagogical and leadership competence have been recommended as a way to improve PE groups, thereby creating optimal health‐promoting activities for both parents and their children (Lefèvre et al, ; Berlin, Törnkvist & Barimani ; Forsslund Frykedal & Rosander 2015; Forslund Frykedal et al ). These studies described circumstances that indicate the need to investigate and gain an understanding of what health professionals say they do and what they actually do when leading PE groups for expectant and new parents.…”