Cultural Humility for Parenting Interventions: A Qualitative Examination of Needs

Background and Purpose

The theory of emotion socialization has been used to create several interventions focused on the emotional development of parents of young children, including Tuning in to Kids, Parent-Child- Interaction Therapy, and Emotion Enhanced Triple P, among others. The theory of emotion socialization highlights culture, with the cultural factors of the family unit acting as both a predictor of emotion-related parenting practices and a moderator between those parenting practices and future child outcomes as they relate to experiences of emotions and emotion regulation. Parenting practices often differ across cultural backgrounds, and research suggests that the effectiveness of a given parenting practice or method depends on the cultural context of the family. For example, African American families begin the process of racial socialization for their children as early as preschool. Without the ability to consider the impact of culture on a particular parenting practice, a facilitator may unknowingly suggest to a client that a culturally relevant parenting practice is inappropriate or detrimental to that parent’s child.

Although culture plays a key role in the theory of emotion socialization, very little literature discusses the role of culture on emotion socialization processes or parent interactions with emotion socialization intervention facilitators. This research examines the differences in cultural parenting practices between Tuning in to Kids clients and the Tuning in to Kids program expectations, as well as how the facilitator’s use of cultural humility impacts parent experiences within the Tuning in to Kids intervention program.

Methods

Eight Tuning in to Kids facilitators and fifteen Tuning in to Kids clients have been interviewed to understand their experience of culture and cultural disconnects within the intervention program. Research participants were sampled using convenience and purposive sampling from the Tuning in to Kids program in Auburn, Alabama. Interviews lasted approximately one hour each, and all research participants received a $20 gift card as compensation for their time. Interviews occurred over Zoom or in person. A slightly modified form of thematic analysis was utilized, with additional steps included to gain the perspectives of Tuning in to Kids clients and facilitators regarding the major themes that were developed during the analysis process.

Results

Results from the thematic analysis include facilitators’ use of cultural humility within the Tuning in to Kids program, the impact of cultural differences on the facilitator-client relationship, and discrepancies between how parenting is described within the Tuning in to Kids program and clients’ descriptions of their parenting methods. Various themes regarding each of these topics relate to policies and practices within Tuning in to Kids.

Conclusions and Implications

Facilitators who engage in cultural humility within the Tuning in to Kids program tend to be more effective and engaging facilitators, leading to an increased engagement from clients. Themes that emerged within the data suggest recommended changes to policies within the Tuning in to Kids program and practices relevant to cultural humility that can be applied to a broad range of intervention programs focused on parenting education.