Information sources of modern parenting

What do parents draw information about parenting from

Abstract

Research on the search for information by parents from a wide range of information sources in the social environment has an interdisciplinary character and its systematic clarification has not yet received much attention. The aim of this research study on current parenting information sources is to find out: 1. what topics researchers focus on in connection with information retrieval by parents, and 2. to map which information sources parents prefer. The research sample contains 36 surveys, of which 12 are qualitative and 16 quantitative; these are supported by four surveys with a mixed design, three literature retrievals, and one text analysis. This study suggests that researchers should begin to explore more about parenting information that parents obtain in the context of information strategies, information behaviour on the internet, parenting knowledge, parenting as such, child rearing, children’s health, parental concerns, parental support, and theoretical studies of modern parenthood. Friends, family, relatives, and other parents, as well as long-term personal contact experts, have proved to be the preferred information sources. Sources also include print media and the internet, which is perceived as the source of first choice because of the lower availability of primary information sources. For parents, these resources are the most appropriate source of information. Therefore, it would be good to research it more in relation to vulnerable groups of parents, such as single mothers and parents with lower socio-economic status, and, last but not least, to focus on fathers as well.