Poster #233 - Does Knowledge Mobilization in Parenting Research Impact Parents as the Primary Knowledge Users?

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - Technology, Media & Child Development

Integrative Statement

There is currently a strong push to mobilize findings gained from research endeavors beyond academia to the general public and knowledge users (Phipps, Jensen, & Myers, 2012). These knowledge mobilization (KMb) efforts are important as they afford substantial opportunities to create sociocultural and sociopolitical change (Levin, 2008). Nonetheless, the gap between research evidence and its application to real-world audiences remains (Landry, Amara, & Lamari, 2001). This is not surprising given the little existing research on the effectiveness of KMb strategies (Mitton et al., 2007). KMb research is most prominent in the health sciences, yet we posit that the social sciences, and parenting research in particular, stands to benefit greatly from mobilizing research findings directly to knowledge users (i.e., parents).

Objectives. This study mobilized research findings from a study on parents’ beliefs about gender and emotion directly to parent participants. The study sought to: 1) examine whether KMb via a short-animated video directly influenced parents’ explicit and implicit emotion-related beliefs; 2) investigate whether the video increased parents’ knowledge and intent to apply this knowledge in their real-life parenting decisions; and 3) explore whether parents found the video to be an effective way to receive information.

Methods. A total of 89 parents, who had previously participated in focus groups about gender and emotion, were invited to participate. Parents were randomized to either the KMb condition or a waitlist control (see Figure 1). All parents had previously completed measures of explicit (via the Parents’ Gendered Beliefs about Emotions scale) and implicit beliefs about gender and emotion (i.e., Gender and Emotion Implicit Association Test). Parents completed these measures again after the KMb or control condition. Parents also answered open-ended questions regarding the impact of the video (i.e., “What did you learn?” “What would make the video more useful and relevant to parents?”).

Results. A repeated measures ANOVA indicated there was no significant effect of group (KMb vs. waitlist control) on PGBE scores, F(1,46) = 1.77, p = .68, partial 2 =.07. There was a significant effect of time on PGBE scores, F(1, 46) = 147.08, p < .001 partial 2 =.762, such that PGBE scores at time 2 were significantly higher than PGBE scores during time 1, Mdifference = -.66, SE = .05, 95% CI [-.55, -.76]. See Figure 2. Parents reported learning concepts from a variety of themes that were represented in the video (e.g., shift in traditionally held gendered beliefs). Only 6% reported they did not learn anything from the video. The most frequently reported application of knowledge gained was an increase in awareness of how gender bias may influence their own parenting style. Parents also provided feedback on ways to improve the video (e.g., adding “how to” parenting examples).

To our knowledge, this is the first study to test the effectiveness of KMb in parenting research. The findings offer preliminary evidence that certain KMb strategies may not be effective with specific knowledge users (i.e., parent participants). Feedback from parents offer insight into ways to adjust the KMb approach for greater impact.

Authors

• Linda Sosa Hernandez, University of Guelph
  Presenting Author

• Kristel Thomassin, University of Guelph
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jessica A Seddon, University of Guelph
  Non-Presenting Author