Parents' reasons for not attending parental education groups in antenatal and child health care: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To explore expectant and new parents' reasons not to participate in parental education (PE) groups in antenatal care or child health care.

Background: In Sweden, expectant and new parents are offered PE groups in antenatal care and in child health care. Although many parents feel unprepared for parenthood, an urgent task is to attract parents to attend the PE groups.

Design: A total of 915 parents with children aged 0 to 21 months answered a web questionnaire with open questions about (a) reasons not to participate; (b) anything that could change their mind; and (c) parenting support instead of PE groups. This was analysed using content analysis. The study follows the SRQR guidelines.

Results: Parents expressed private reasons for not attending PE groups. Some parents also asked for more heterogeneity regarding content and methods, as well as accommodation of parents' different interests. Other parents asked for like-minded individuals who were in similar situation to themselves. Lack of information or invitations from antenatal care or child health care, or that PE groups were unavailable, were additional reasons for not participating in groups.

Conclusions: Reasons for not attending PE groups were multifaceted from personal, self-interested and norm-critical reasons, to that the groups were not available or that the parents were not aware of their existence.

Relevance to clinical practice: Parents of today are a diverse group with different interests and needs. Nevertheless, all parents need to feel included in a way that makes participation in PE groups relevant for them. Thus, it is important for leaders to be aware of structures and norms, and to be able to create a group climate and a pedagogy of acceptance where group members value each other's differences. However, to attract parents to participate in PE groups, it is necessary for clinical practice to work on individual, group and organisational levels.

Keywords: Children's nurse; education; family care; leadership; midwifery; parenting; qualitative study.