Parenting in rural Uganda: A Qualitative Study on the Influence of the Parenting Challenge on Parental Beliefs and Practices

Abstract

Children’s well-being is closely tied to fulfilling their needs across different dimensions, including physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects. Considering the significant impact of overlooking children’s needs and the key role parents have in promoting children’s well-being, the utilization of parenting programs is on the rise. The Parenting Challenge (TPC) is a community-based parenting program which aims to improve children’s lives by enhancing parenting skills and knowledge. This qualitative study explored the influence of TPC on parental beliefs and practices in rural Uganda by conducting and analysing interviews with 20 parents before and after attending the basics module of TPC. The results showed that parents view parenting through a materialistic lens and perceive childhood from a utilitarian perspective. Although the emphasis on providing material matters as parental role remained consistent post-training, the utilitarian view on childhood was less prominent. Furthermore, the study uncovered a gap between parental beliefs and practices before the training. Nevertheless, post-training, parents reported positive change as parents began to align their parental practices both with existing and newly acquired beliefs, leading to a more family- and child-centred approach with a future-oriented vision. The findings show that TPC holds the potential to positively influence parental beliefs and practices in rural Uganda, ultimately improving the well-being of children.