The association between parent-child quality time and children's flourishing level

Few studies have examined the association between parental quality time and flourishing measures in young children. This study explored the association between parental quality time and children's flourishing in a national sample of USA children 1-5 years of age.

A cross sectional study using data from the 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health (N = 17,855). Flourishing was measured with a composite score (values 0-4) derived from 4 questions on attachment with parent, resilience, learning, and contentment with life. Having all 4 items was optimal. Parent-child quality time per week was measured with 3 items: singing or storytelling, reading to child, and family meal with child; using a 4-point scale: 0 days, 1-3 days, 4-6 days, and every day/week. Multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to assess the odds of lower flourishing in SAS 9.4.

After controlling for confounding, only the lack of singing and storytelling were negatively associated with greater odds of lower levels of flourishing (0-2 items OR = 5.06, 95% CI 2.11-12.14; 3 items OR = 2.92, 95% CI 1.73-4.93).

Insufficient parent-child quality time is associated with lower flourishing levels. Fostering parental opportunities to engage in weekly quality time with their children should be a priority of child health programs seeking to improve child flourishing.

Nurses should provide guidance to parents on ways to nurture quality family time and promote children's psychosocial, environmental, and physical well-being. Nurses can advocate for programmatic and policy changes to ensure familial work/life balance and licensing/accreditation of all child centers.