Uninvolved parenting in children with academic delays and specific learning disabilities

Abstract

New forms, types, styles and practices of parenting are emerging in contemporary times. Existing tools are unable to detect these upcoming nuances in parenting. The ongoing development and validation of the “Parental Opinion and Practices Scale” has completed the try-out of its “hyper-parenting” domain. This study seeks to validate the 20-item scale as its next domain on “uninvolved” parenting. A cross-sectional mixed research design covered a convenience sample of 74 parents (36 fathers and 38 mothers) of secondary and high school children with academic delays and specific learning disabilities. Results show a trend toward uninvolved parenting, which appears to be greater in fathers than mothers and those with higher than lower educational qualifications. Item analysis brings out a profile of mildly uninterested, unconcerned, and uninvolved parents in these children.  The discussion covers whether this trend is the cause or consequence of an academically ever-failing child. The derived norms, reliability, and validity coefficients of this domain-specific parenting scale show promise for its regular use in early screening or identification of such parents to formulate, plan, implement, and evaluate appropriate training programs.