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Effect of Parenting Education on Positive Parenting Practices among Parents of Under-Five Children in Nigeria

Abstract

Positive parenting is an important component of early childhood development and may influence children's emotional wellbeing, behaviour, social development, communication, learning, and overall health. Parents and caregivers of children under five years of age play a central role in providing responsive care, establishing healthy routines, supporting early learning, managing children's behaviour, and protecting children from harmful disciplinary practices. However, some parents in Nigeria may have limited access to evidence-based parenting information and may rely on traditional approaches that include harsh verbal or physical discipline, inconsistent communication, inadequate supervision, or limited opportunities for responsive interaction. Parenting education provides an opportunity to improve parents' knowledge and skills regarding child development, positive communication, responsive caregiving, constructive discipline, emotional support, supervision, and early learning. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of parenting education on positive parenting practices among parents of under-five children in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, the Health Belief Model, and Attachment Theory. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, behavioural modelling, self-efficacy, reinforcement, and environmental influences in shaping parents' caregiving behaviours. The Health Belief Model explains how parents' perceptions of the importance of positive parenting, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action may influence parenting practices. Attachment Theory emphasizes the importance of responsive, consistent, and emotionally supportive caregiver-child relationships in promoting secure attachment and healthy child development. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how parenting education may influence positive parenting practices among parents of under-five children in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise parents or primary caregivers aged 18 years and above who have children below five years of age and reside in selected urban and rural communities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, local government areas, communities, households, healthcare facilities, and eligible parents. Parenting education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to parenting-education sessions, frequency and duration of education, information on child growth and development, responsive caregiving, positive communication, age-appropriate expectations, constructive discipline, emotional support, supervision, child safety, play and early learning, nutrition, hygiene, healthcare-seeking, screen-time management, sleep routines, and recognition of developmental concerns. Positive parenting practices will be assessed using indicators such as responsive interaction, verbal encouragement, active listening, age-appropriate communication, consistent routines, constructive discipline, non-violent behaviour management, emotional support, supervision, shared play and learning activities, appropriate praise and reinforcement, child safety practices, and appropriate healthcare-seeking for childhood health concerns. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized positive-parenting assessment tools, scenario-based questions, caregiver interviews, and pre-test and post-test assessments where a quasi-experimental intervention is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize parents' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, family structure, parenting experience, sources of parenting information, exposure to parenting education, and parenting practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired and independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of parenting education on positive parenting practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, positive-parenting practice scores before and after the educational intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group or community to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that parenting education has a significant positive effect on positive parenting practices among parents of under-five children in Nigeria. Parents exposed to structured, practical, culturally appropriate, and sustained parenting education are expected to demonstrate better positive parenting practices than parents without comparable exposure. Education may improve parents' understanding of children's developmental needs, responsive communication, age-appropriate expectations, constructive discipline, emotional regulation, supervision, play, early learning, and child safety. Practical demonstrations and scenario-based activities may strengthen parents' confidence in responding appropriately to challenging child behaviours without relying on harsh physical or verbal punishment. Education may also encourage parents to provide more opportunities for play, communication, affection, and early learning, while improving awareness of developmental concerns and appropriate healthcare-seeking. However, cultural expectations, family and community norms, parental stress, financial difficulties, limited social support, low health literacy, and deeply established beliefs about discipline may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, culturally sensitive, and sustained parenting education, supported by community and healthcare systems, to contribute significantly to improved positive parenting practices among parents of under-five children in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on parenting education, positive parenting, early childhood development, child health, responsive caregiving, child protection, health education, family health, child wellbeing, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, state ministries of health and education, primary healthcare centres, early childhood programmes, healthcare professionals, community health workers, child-development specialists, social workers, parent organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening parenting support. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating parenting education into maternal and child health programmes, strengthening community-based parenting interventions, improving access to practical parenting resources, promoting non-violent discipline, supporting responsive caregiving and early learning, and developing sustainable interventions that improve positive parenting practices among parents of under-five children across Nigeria.

Keywords: Parenting education, positive parenting practices, parents, under-five children, responsive caregiving, child development, constructive discipline, child wellbeing, early childhood development, health education, Nigeria, public health.