Approaches to strengthen parental self-efficacy: An umbrella review of systematic reviews

Parental self-efficacy is an important contributor to child development and well-being. However, interventions to strengthen parental self-efficacy are not routinely applied in community practice settings. To address this, the current study identified and summarized efficacious interventions to strengthen parental self-efficacy using umbrella review methodology. Studies were eligible for inclusion if it was a systematic review of interventions to promote parental self-efficacy, the interventions were delivered to parents of minor-age children, and the review reported information regarding the activities within efficacious interventions. Sources of data were PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Campbell Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, ERIC, Medline, and Scopus. Peer reviewed literature published between 1990 and 2023 were eligible for inclusion. Results were synthesized according to the needs of the study population. Risk of bias was assessed using the JBI critical appraisal for systematic reviews. The search identified 578 non-duplicate systematic reviews, of which 50 met inclusion criteria. Three-hundred nineteen non-duplicate intervention studies (n = 51,158) addressing needs related to children’s mental and behavioral health, neurodevelopmental disorders, breastfeeding, children’s physical health, and parenting were synthesized. Efficacious interventions to strengthen parental self-efficacy broadly included parent education, skill development, and social support activities, which were found across in-person, online, and self-guided programs. Parental self-efficacy is a viable target of intervention to improve child and family well-being that can be flexibly delivered for several family needs.