A quantitative examination of self-regulation, parental experience, and age of biological parents.

Emotional dysregulation presents substantial challenges to parents' well-being and healthy child development. Nonetheless, many parents find self-regulation a challenge to manage, which may result in adverse consequences (Lunkenheimer et al., 2023). The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey design study was to examine relationships among biological parents' perceived self-regulation levels, experience, and age. I used the parental self-regulation framework (Sanders, 1999) components of self-management, self-sufficiency, self-efficacy, and personal agency to determine 121 biological parents' perceived PSR levels. I measured these levels using an online cross-sectional survey with demographic items and the Me as a Parent scale (Hamilton et al., 2015). I performed a Pearson's r correlation to explore the relationship between the four components of PSR. Results showed strong, positive statistically significant relationships between the four components and PSR with p = .001 and r ranging from .50 to .89 (.50–.89). Additionally, correlations showed strong effect size and have practical significance, or are meaningful in a real-world context. I then performed a simple linear regression analysis to examine whether time as a parent (i.e., parenting experience) predicted PSR levels. Results showed time as a parent is not a statistically significant predictor of PSR (F(1, 119) = 0.072, p = 0.789, R² = 0.001). Further, this analysis revealed a weak effect size (β = .025). A weak effect size shows the result is too small to be meaningful in real world application. Finally, I used a Mood's median test to compare perceived PSR levels between younger (17–27) and older parents (28–38). The results indicated that younger parents (Mdn = 65) had slightly lower levels of PSR compared to older parents (Mdn = 66). However, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.178), and there was a small effect size (r = 0.21). A small effect size means the difference between groups is too small to be meaningful. The implications of this study highlight the importance of continuous learning for parents, the role of school counselors and administrators in parent support, and the role of researchers in future studies on this topic.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Bleggi, Lauren, 1988-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Vaughn, Shelby Duncan.

• Parental self-regulation.
• Age.
• Self-sufficiency.
• Self-efficacy.
• Self-management.
• Personal agency.
• Quantitative methodology.
• Biological parents.
• Me as a parent scale.
• Parenting experience.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/13609

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/13609