Page 409 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

376 n PARSe’S HUMANBeCOMING SCHOOl OF THOUGHT

mothers with long-term follow-up of the out- from around the world, there is still a need
comes (Kitzman et al., 2010). for research that examines parenting from
P The theoretical models used as frame- a cultural perspective. Nursing researchers
works for nursing research on parenting are need to go beyond comparing ethnic groups
as diverse as the substantive foci. Researchers and move toward understanding what is
interested in the transition to parenthood effective and adaptive for parents from vary-
often build on the concepts put forth by ing ethnic backgrounds and different cul-
Reva Rubin based on role attainment the- tures. likewise, nurse researchers need to
ory from sociology and adapted by Ramona conduct more longitudinal studies that study
Mercer and lorraine Walker. Another parenting as a process that unfolds over time
commonly used framework is ecological and focus as much attention on parenting
systems theory, influenced by the work of strengths as on parenting deficits.
Uri Bronfenbrenner, Jay Belsky, and Arnold
Sameroff, and based on psychology. Within Diane Holditch-Davis
nursing, Kathryn Barnard’s theory follows in Margaret Shandor Miles
this tradition. Recently, these theories have
been combined into the developmental sci-
ence perspective, which is beginning to be
used in nursing research on parenting (Miles Parse’s humanbeComing
& Holditch-Davis, 2003).
Other theories used in parenting sChool of thought
research by nurses include attachment, cog-
nitive, and stress theories. Attachment the-
ory with has its origins in ethology and is Humanbecoming school of thought (Parse,
influenced by the work of John Bowlby and 1992, 1995) was first titled Man–Living–
Mary Ainsworth. This framework is widely Health: A Theory of Nursing (Parse, 1981). In
used in infancy and preschool parenting 1998, Parse published The Human Becoming
research. Cognitively based theories of par- School of Thought: A Perspective for Nurses and
enting, such as that developed by Karen Other Health Professionals. Also, her theory
Pridham, are used in studies of mothering has evolved into a humanbecoming school of
during the prenatal and postpartum periods. thought (HST) that views the uniqueness of
Finally, models that build on various stress humans as unitary beings in mutual process
and coping models, such as Margaret Miles’ with a multidimensional universe.
Preterm Parental Distress Model, have been Parse (1998) draws from Roger’s Science
used in studies of the impact of acute illness of Unitary Human Beings and the writings
on parents. on existential phenomenology when she
Despite this theoretical diversity, much defines the person as being in a process of
of the nursing research conducted in the continuous becoming within the human-
area of parenting remains atheoretical and becoming school of thought. each person
descriptive. Therefore, the findings in this cocreates reality in mutual process with the
area of research are fragmented, and often environment. Quality of life is a central con-
nurse researchers are not building a coher- cept within the HST. The goal of nursing is
ent science on parenting. The major gaps in quality of life in Parse’s theory, thus demon-
the parenting literature in nursing include a strating the importance of this concept with
need for more information about fathering the theory.
and on parenting of adolescents and young Humanbecoming is viewed as (1) “freely
adults. Although there is an increasing num- choosing personal meaning with situation,
ber of parenting studies published by nurses living with value priorities,” (2) “configuring