Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract Context: Identification of parenting skills determinants among mothers is an ongoing field
of research. Aims: The aim of this study was to identify the social cognitive predictors of
parenting skills among mothers. Settings and Design: Previous studies have demonstrated
the health action process approach (HAPA) as a credible frame for predicting behavior,
but the number of studies considering the predictive value of parenting skills determinants
among mothers is rare. Subjects and Methods: An 8 months prospective design was
applied. Participants were mothers with preschool and early elementary school‑aged children.
At the 1st time, 120 participants completed self‑report questionnaires regarding their risk
perception, outcome expectancies, task self‑efficacy, and intentions toward parenting skills.
At the 2nd time, they returned a follow‑up questionnaire, which measured planning, coping
self‑efficacy, and recovery self‑efficacy and finally, 8 months later as the 3rd time, parenting
skills were measured. Path analysis was used for analysis. Results: Path analysis indicated
that, in the motivational phase, there was no relationship between parenting skills intention
and risk perception, outcome expectancies, and task self‑efficacy. Furthermore, no relationship
was found between parenting skills intention and planning. In the volitional phase, coping
self‑efficacy, recovery self‑efficacy, and planning were statistically significant predictors of
parenting skills. Conclusion: The results of this study confirm that volitional phase of the HAPA
model is useful in determining parenting skills. However, the role motivational variables seem
to be unimportant in performing these behaviors. It was concluded that everybody intended
to apply parenting skills, in nature, and intervention strategies should be focused on turning
intentions into behavior.