Parenting Style and Early Childhood Development among Toddlers in Coastal Communities of Semarang, Indonesia
https://doi.org/10.53770/medica.v8i7.1076
Keywords
Parenting Style Early Childhood Development Coastal CommunitiesAbstract
Early childhood development remains a major public health concern in Indonesian coastal communities, where socioeconomic vulnerability and suboptimal parenting practices may adversely affect developmental outcomes. This study examined the association between parenting styles and early childhood development among toddlers in coastal communities of Semarang, Indonesia, using a convergent mixed-methods design. A total of 371 mothers with children aged 12–59 months were selected through stratified random sampling from nine coastal villages within the Bandarharjo Primary Health Center catchment area. Quantitative data were collected using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire and the Indonesian Pre-Screening Developmental Questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with mothers, health cadres, midwives, and community leaders. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression, whereas qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Democratic parenting was the predominant parenting style (57.7%), and 72.0% of toddlers demonstrated age-appropriate development. Parenting style was significantly associated with child development (p < 0.001; Cramer's V = 0.27). Logistic regression showed that democratic parenting was associated with better developmental outcomes (OR = 2.94; 95% CI: 1.61–5.37; p < 0.001). Qualitative findings revealed that fragmented caregiving, parental workload, limited developmental literacy, and reliance on digital devices as caregiving substitutes influenced parenting practices and child development. These findings highlight the importance of promoting democratic parenting while addressing socioeconomic and contextual barriers to improve developmental outcomes among children in vulnerable coastal communities.
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