EXPLORING PARENTING STYLES AND BEHAVIORS AMONG FOSTER PARENTS

Abstract

This mixed methods study with a triangulation design aimed to review the impact of parenting styles and those that most make up parenting care among foster parents today. It hoped to assess how foster parents individually view their management of childcare, perceived levels of support, and education opportunities surrounding foster care parenting practices or level of received preparedness. Furthermore, this study offered insight into if parental styles change or alter with a parents perceived stress level or if parenting practices differ based on the length the child remains in the care of the foster child. Preexisting secondary data from the Fostering Healthy Relationships study was utilized (Mallette, 2019). This study contained national survey data and focus group transcriptions from licensed foster parents, which were collected during 2018-2019. The survey provided 457 foster parents responses were as 12 participants provided unique perspectives via the qualitative transcriptions. Overall, the results indicated most parents who responded to the survey revealed having participated in authoritative parenting practices, authoritative and authoritarian parenting practices had more stress, and authoritative more attachment.