Parental Self-Efficacy regarding the Growth and Development of Under-Five Children: A Scoping Review
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: The under-five period represents a critical “golden age” for child growth and development; however, it is also a vulnerable stage for growth faltering, developmental delays, and suboptimal parenting practices. Parenting Self-Efficacy (PSE) has been identified as an important internal factor influencing parents’ capacity to support optimal child growth and development. Objective: This scoping review aims to map and synthesize existing evidence on how parental self-efficacy influences the comprehensive understanding of growth and development in children under five years of age. Method: This scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework, with methodological enhancements by Levac et al., and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. The review process included five stages: identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, and collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect databases. Study selection involved identification of records, removal of duplicates, title and abstract screening, and full-text eligibility assessment based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Nine studies were included and analyzed using thematic synthesis. Results: The thematic analysis identified three major themes. First, Parental Self-Efficacy (PSE) as a determinant of cognitive and language development through enriched home literacy environments. Second, PSE as a determinant of psychosocial and behavioral outcomes, associated with more consistent authoritative parenting practices and reduced emotional and behavioral problems, including hyperactivity. Third, PSE as a determinant of physical growth and health outcomes through improved nutritional practices and child health monitoring, contributing to better anthropometric status. Conclusion: Parenting self-efficacy is a key psychological resource that plays a significant role in supporting the comprehensive development of under-five children. Integrating psychological empowerment strategies into primary health care programs and public health policies may strengthen parental self-efficacy at the community level.
Source: Jurnal Ilmu Kesehatan
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204474384