Must We Abandon Context and Meaning to Avoid Bias in Cultural Parenting Research? : Commentary on “Parenting Culture(s): Ideal-Parent Beliefs Across 37 Countries”

Abstract

The authors of the current article advocate a culture-sensitive approach in research and interventions, including a culture-informed methodology. They examine how “ideal-parent” beliefs in different countries comprise “parenting cultures,” conceptualized as shared “ideal-parent” beliefs. The authors define “ideal-parent” beliefs as “a higher level construct—the meaning system and lens through which parents perceive, understand, and engage in their parenting practices.” This definition suggests a complex model of interrelations between individual and shared parents’ beliefs and practices, and contextual conditions of parenting and development. From a parenting science view, this definition implies that “ideal-parent” beliefs are closely related to cultural values and norms, parents’ self- and world views, the role of parents, parent’s child-rearing goals and practices, and to parent–child relationships, while all these aspects are impacting the socialization and development of children in given developmental contexts. From a cultural psychological view, shared “ideal-parent” beliefs, defined as constituting a specific “parenting culture” are characterized by shared values and norms. Reciprocal relations among parenting culture, parents’ beliefs, every-day parenting practices, and the general cultural context may be assumed. However, this model is not articulated in the current study, but it is guiding my own research on socialization, parenting, and development in cultural contexts (Mayer & Trommsdorff, 2010; Rothbaum & Trommsdorff, 2007; Trommsdorff, 2006, 2012, 2017; Trommsdorff & Rothbaum, 2008; Trommsdorff et al., 2012; Trommsdorff & Kornadt, 2003).