Patterns of Parenting Confidence Among Infants With Medical Complexity: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

Parenting confidence is an important factor in fostering optimal health and development of infants with medical complexity. However, our understanding of how parents of medically complex infants describe development of confidence is limited. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to describe the nature and development of parenting confidence.

A mixed-method design was used to examine how parents described their level of confidence. Ten parents of infants with medical complexity. Quantitative measures provided patterns of confidence and qualitative data focused on parent descriptions of confidence. Parents completed online surveys at 3 time points: (1) study enrollment, (2) infant discharge from hospital, and (3) 3 months after discharge. Parents were purposively sampled, using their confidence patterns, for qualitative phone interviews.

Our analysis of quantitative findings revealed 3 confidence patterns: (1) increasing, (2) stable, and (3) varying. Parents described their confidence as either (1) a state of being confident or (2) how they behaved in the parenting role. Parents felt both certain and uncertain in their level of confidence and described confidence as being situationally dependent.

Parenting confidence needs to be cultivated through encouragement and repeated exposure to parenting behaviors. Nurses are well-suited to help identify parents with low confidence to support parents so that they can develop confidence.

Because there is variability in parent confidence during this critical early period of life, future research should consider a larger cohort of parents that compares confidence in diverse parent groups (ie, married vs living together couples, same-sex couples, and single parents). Research should also examine effective strategies to promote confidence and associated long-term health and developmental outcomes.