How Parents Think About Young Children

One parent or guardian of a child ages 3-6
• Must live in the United States and be able to complete a survey in English
• Must have lived with your child at least half the time for the past year
• Must be your child's primary caregiver or share caregiving equally with another adult
• Must be the first time any parent or caregiver has participated in this study about your child
• Must be your first time participating in this study or the related study, How Parents Think, How Children Feel

You will answer survey questions today. Parents who complete these initial surveys may be invited to complete a second survey in 6 months, and some parents may also be invited to complete a third survey in 12 months. Today's survey is the longest: approximately 350 questions and takes about 45-50 minutes. If invited, the second and third surveys will be similar but shorter (approximately 25-30 minutes).

The survey asks about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences as a parent, as well as your child's emotions and behaviors. For example, you might rate your agreement with a statement like "I feel confident handling my child's emotions" on a scale from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree." Some questions will describe brief hypothetical situations where it may not be clear what has happened. For example, you may read about your child becoming upset while playing with other kids and be asked what you think happened and how you would feel or respond.

This study examines how parents think about and respond to everyday situations involving their children. We will look at whether these interpretations are associated with emotions, ways of coping, relationships, and well-being. Another focus is how parents’ thoughts and beliefs about their children connect to their parenting, as well as if these connections depend on factors such as social support, social media use, and stress. By checking in three times over one year, we can see whether parents’ perspectives change over time. This research may inform programs designed to help families navigate everyday challenges and support their well-being.

45-50 minutes for the initial survey. If invited to complete the follow-up surveys in 6 months and 12 months, each follow-up takes approximately 25-30 minutes.

If you participate in all three time points, the total time is around 1 hour and 50 minutes (50 minutes today + 30 minutes at each follow-up)

You will receive electronic gift cards (Amazon.com or Giftogram) within two weeks after each survey:
• Initial survey: $10
• 6-month survey: $5
• 12-month survey: $5

If you participate in all three time points, you can receive up to $20. You will be compensated separately for each survey.

To be eligible for compensation, parents must meet the study’s eligibility criteria and submit a valid consent video with both the parent and child visible. Each parent is eligible for compensation once per survey.