| Summary: | In recent years researchers interested in family decision
making have argued for the need to apply a conceptual framework to
the study of parental decision making about child-rearing issues.
This study is an attempt to construct a theory-based model of
parental decision-making strategies. Two theoretical approaches
were employed; a structural-developmental approach to provide an
understanding of parental cognition, and an information processing
approach to the study of decision-making strategies.
Previous research has demonstrated that pressure of time and
task complexity were important in influencing the selection and use
of information. These two factors were manipulated by the
researcher. A model of parental decision-making strategies was
proposed and tested in a pilot study. The decision was made to
reduce the number of variables to those which demonstrated the
potential to make a significant contribution to an understanding of
parental decision making. These variables were tested in the main
study.
Sixty mothers participated in the study. They represented a
wide range of socio-economic and educational backgrounds as well
as number of years of parenting experience and age. Participants
completed Newberger’s Level of Parental Awareness Interview and
four decision tasks about two childrearing issues. The decision
tasks were presented on information boards.
The model of parental decision-making strategies was tested
using multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures.
Significant effects were obtained for level of parental awareness,
pressure of time, task complexity and number of years of formal
education. The reduced model explained much of the variance in
parental decision-making strategies (71%). Specific hypotheses
concerning level of parental awareness and information use were
supported.
The results inform theory and practice. Support was found for
the theory-based model and for Liben’s view of a rapprochement
between developmental theory and information-processing theory.
Parents with more knowledge about parenting used less information
and more variability in their decision making. Support was found for
Newberger’s measure and construct. Practical implications for
parent education were curricula described. === Education, Faculty of === Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of === Graduate
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