Abstract
Having a baby is a source of happiness and excitement but at the same time it might be related to intense stress and a great deal of change in many aspects of life. In the literature, studies focus on how parents adapt to this process, how they acquire knowledge and skill about parenting, and which factors predict adaptation during this process. Teti and Gelfand (1991) investigated self-efficacy in terms of parenting and developed the concept of “parental self-efficacy” based on Bandura's Social Learning Theory. Parental self-efficacy is defined as the caregiver's beliefs about how successful and competent they are in the role of parenting. A parent with a greater sense of parental self-efficacy is expected to be more confident about his/her abilities of parenting, respond the needs of his/her baby appropriately and in time, and make an effort to seek appropriate solutions when faced with difficulties. Previous studies found significant relationships between parental self-efficacy and parenting practices, postpartum depression, stress levels of mothers’, health, development, adaptation, attachment and temperament of the baby and perceived social support of parents’. In this review, the concept of parental self-efficacy was reviewed in the light of previous studies. Intervention programs intended to develop parental self-efficacy and the practices in Turkey was discussed.
Keywords
Self-efficacy, parental self-efficacy, psychological well-being, social support