Indigenous Parents' Perspectives of Factors That Facilitate or Impede Engagement in Internet-Based Parenting Support Programs: Interpretive Description Study

Michelle L Butt; Ysabella Jayne Willett; Vicky Miller; Brenda Jacobs; Era Mae Ferron; Amy L Wright

doi:10.2196/64994

Indigenous Parents' Perspectives of Factors That Facilitate or Impede Engagement in Internet-Based Parenting Support Programs: Interpretive Description Study

JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2024 Nov 22:7:e64994. doi: 10.2196/64994.

Authors

Michelle L Butt^#¹, Ysabella Jayne Willett^#², Vicky Miller^#³, Brenda Jacobs^#³, Era Mae Ferron^#², Amy L Wright^#²

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
² Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
³ Hamilton Regional Indian Centre, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 39576680
PMCID: PMC11624444
DOI: 10.2196/64994

Abstract

Background: Parenting support programs enhance parents' health and their child's development. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the delivery of these programs over the internet. After the pandemic, internet-based programs are still preferred by some.

Objective: We aimed to understand Indigenous parents' experiences engaging in internet-based parenting support programs; thus, an interpretive description study was conducted.

Methods: A total of 20 Indigenous (female, male, and Two-Spirit) parents of children aged <5 years participated in semistructured interviews; data underwent collaborative thematic analysis with Indigenous community partners informed by the Two-Eyed Seeing framework and ethical space.

Results: Parents' experiences were classified into five themes: (1) Purpose: Program Delivery and Content, (2) Belonging: Building Relationships and Connections, (3) Hope: Cultural Connection, (4) Meaning: New or Improved Parenting Skills and Mental Wellness, and (5) Recommendations for Organizations.

Conclusions: The study findings can inform internet-based parenting program delivery to enhance engagement for Indigenous families.

Keywords: Indigenous health; child; parenting; qualitative; support programs.

©Michelle L Butt, Ysabella Jayne Willett, Vicky Miller, Brenda Jacobs, Era Mae Ferron, Amy L Wright. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 22.11.2024.