What’s Fact or Fiction in Parenting News?
Media Analysis Guidance for Parents
Let’s say the nightly news is abuzz about a research study that shows that sleep-training methods like cry-it-out
have no long-term effects on children or that physically punitive discipline tactics like spanking result in children
who are better behaved or that birthing without drug pain relief is dangerous.
Perhaps, you’re committed to Attachment Parenting and childrearing “news of the day” has no effect on what
decisions you’ll make regarding your child in the future.
When parents who are firm in Attachment Parenting have a question about whether a childrearing practice leads
to a secure parent-child attachment bond, they feel certain that they can turn to
Attachment Parenting International resources, specifically The Eight Principles of Parenting,
the cofounders’ book Attached at the Heart, or local API Support Groups and Leaders.
But, what if you’re new to Attachment Parenting—it’s intrigued you, you’re trying it out, but you’re unsure of
whether this will work for your family because it’s so different from how you were raised or how other parents
around you are raising their children? And when you hear that other parenting strategies are safer and better
than yours, whether that holding your baby too much will keep him from developing independence or that there’s
no benefit to breastfeeding once solids are introduced, whether you’re reading this in a magazine or hearing it
from your neighbor, you begin to doubt yourself and your child. You think, maybe, I got it all wrong.
Maybe I should be doing this or that. Maybe I’m setting my child up for failure?
How can you know for sure that your choices in how you parent, even if opposite from others in your family,
friends, or community, are right for you and your family, and are healthy for your child?
API has created these guidelines for parents to help sift through the clutter of media news reports,
parenting experts, and the next big thing in baby products, or even a pediatrician’s advice,
basically anyone or anything that tries to influence the way you parent your child:
1. Know your beliefs, values, and how these fit (or don’t fit) into the
culture around you. How we parent is rooted in the legacy that we want to
pass down to our children. Moral attitudes are the core of ourselves, our
identity; you can identify them by recognizing the emotions attached to your
preferences regarding morals. These values and beliefs may not necessarily
jive with the culture in which you live. For example, a study that urges
women not to choose a birth without interventions is logical for a culture
where childbirth is treated like a medical emergency rather than a natural,
biological event.
2. Learn the back story. Every piece of advice, whether a formal research
study or a book by a popular parenting author or a comment made by your
child’s nurse or a quip from your mother-in-law, has a story. What is it? Who
is the person talking or writing? What is their specific field of study? What is
their primary professional focus—research, medical, policy, etc.? What is
their sponsoring organization about? What theory are they citing? What is
their credentials or experience? Is it in line with your values and belief
system, with your goals for your child? Are journalists following ethical
guidelines as discussed on page 23? Are researchers observing ethical
standards in their treatment of study participants? What may be influencing
the person giving you advice? Beware of any organizations whose goal is to
sell a product or service for-profit. In terms of a research study, who is
paying for it? It’s not uncommon for some well-publicized studies to be
funded by organizations that lean strongly toward the results, such as a
study that shows bedsharing to be dangerous that is paid for by an anticosleeping group.
3. Beware of out-of-the-ordinary claims. Does the information offer evidence
-based recommendations that follow current best practices? The majority of
studies show that spanking is detrimental to child development. If a study is
introduced that shows spanking to have a positive effect on children, be
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COMING SOON:
API’s New Book &
Media Database
Looking for a book on sleep or
positive discipline? Want to dig
deeper into understanding
attachment styles? Needs some
ideas for your reading group on
maintaining balance? Wondering
how to sort through all the options?
Attachment Parenting International
is bringing back the Bibliography
Review Committee—new and
improved!
The new program will help parents
and professionals quickly gather
information on the books, videos,
websites, and more, and how they
relate to the Eight Principles of
Parenting. In addition, the
searchable database will include
links to related API features, as well
as purchasing information. Watch for
it, along with the launch of the new
and improved API website!
suspicious. Such a study isn’t valid until other studies begin to show the same results.
4. Check out the facts. Any information posed as fact should have references to a credible source. An article
summarizing a research study should at least provide all the information for you to look up the study yourself, if not
provide you a direct link to the original abstract. Any author or person stating something as fact, as opposed to
opinion, should be able to provide you with those references. If someone quotes a statistic, look it up. In terms of a
research study itself, the sample size matters as does who is in the sample and how they were selected; random
selection is desirable. What was measured and how? Are the outcome measures clearly related to the variables with
which the study occurred? At least one long-term follow-up is desirable. When reporting observations, are the study’s
Get the Most Out of a Scientific Study
A Sampling of Trusted Resources
Unless you’re an academic, you’ll probably find research
studies to not be the easiest material to digest, but if the
science behind parenting matters to you, it’s important to
check out studies you learn about through the media.
AttachmentParenting.org
AttachmentParenting.ca
AhaParenting.com
AlfieKohn.org
Alice-Miller.com
AllanSchore.com
AskDrSears.com
AuthenticParent.com/articles
BabywearingInternational.org
BeyondConsequences.com
BillCorbett.vpweb.com
BradleyBirth.com
ChildTrauma.org
CNVC.org
ConnectionParenting.com
Continuum-Concept.org
Cosleeping.ND.edu
DanielHughes.org
DrDanSiegel.com
DrJayGordon.com
DrMariaBlois.com
EnjoyParenting.com
EmpathicParenting.org
FamiliesForConsciousLiving.org
FamilyAndHome.org
FoxBeingThere.com/blog
GettingTheLoveYouWant.com
Gottman.com
HolisticMoms.org
ICAN-Online.org
ImprovingBirth.org
InaMay.com
InfantMasageUSA.org
Infant-Parent.com
KathleenKendall-Tackett.com
KellyMom.com
LLLI.org
LamazeInternational.org
LetTheBabyDrive.com
LifeCenter.org.il
Mothering.com
NaturalChild.org
NeufeldInstitute.com/blog
NurturingParenting.com
Overindulgence.org
PBS.org/ThisEmotionalLife
ParentingWithoutPowerStruggles.com
ParentsLifeLine.com
PathwaysToFamilyWellness.org
PeterHaiman.org
PinkyMcKay.com
PlayfulParenting.com
PositiveDiscipline.com
ProfessionalParenting.ca
Progressive-Parenting.com
RaffiNews.com
RodK.net
StopHitting.com
TheBabyBond.com
Here are tips to help you skim through a study without
getting bogged down in scientific terms:
1. Read the title. What does it predict?
2. Read the abstract. This is the most complete
synopsis of the paper. It will outline the highlights of
the study but without the necessary emphasis to
allow you to make a critical assessment of the results.
3. Read the last or second-to-last paragraph of the
Introduction. This gives you what the abstract does
not. But if you’re not familiar with the work, read the
entire Introduction and pick out issues to explore
separately.
4. Read the first, or sometimes the last, paragraph
of the Discussion. By this point, you should be able
to identify the hypotheses, know what type of results
to expect, and have the predictions on the
experiments and their outcomes.
5. Examine each Figure or Table in sequence. Read
the Results associated to each Figure or Table for
clarification. For issues concerning methodology,
refer to the appropriate point in the Materials and
Methods.
6. Does the experiment address the hypothesis? Does
the experiment contribute to the stated conclusions?
Is the experiment central to these conclusions? Or
does it provide a control? Or does it repeat previous
results? Or does it contribute little to the paper?
7. How well did you predict the experiment and the
results?
8. As you evaluate the actual results—not just the
stated results—in the Figures and Tables, ask
yourself: Do the results support their claim with the
appropriate controls to validate the results? Do you
see more in their results that they fail to address or
identify? Can you identify limitations to their results or
the experimental approach? Do the results address
the hypotheses that you have identified?
9. After reading through the Results, you should be
able to identify the single-most important Figure or
Table in the paper.
10. Read through the Discussion to weigh the stated
conclusions and claims against the evidence. Do
you agree or disagree?
~ Compiled by Rita Brhel
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5.
6.
7.
8.
authors reporting what they actually saw or are they reporting their interpretation of what they saw? Are the results of
the study based on a sample of the population that would apply to you? Also, see whether the study has been
replicated, if it was published in a peer-reviewed journal, and don’t forget to check out the researcher’s own discussion
of limitations. The strongest research methods for psychological studies are: qualitative findings versus quantitative;
experimental rather than descriptive or correlational; controlled-experiment, meta-analysis, and observation designs
over archival, case study, computational modeling, content analysis, field experiment, interview, neuroimaging, quasi
experiment, self-report inventory, random sample survey, or twin study; and prospective (where subjects are recruited
prior to the proposed independent effects being administered) and longitudinal (where subjects are studied at multiple
time points) rather than retrospective or cross-section study.
Notice diversity. Information that works tends to be applicable to everyone. Seek out information that doesn’t count
out differences in race, marital status, ethnicity, etc., although understandably, some information such as
breastfeeding only applies to a certain gender.
Understand that the media sensationalizes. While their goal is accuracy in reporting, journalists only have so much
room to write or time on the air and a controversial story angle and flashy headline is the best way to attract readers.
Readers/viewers tend to side with people who share their identity, even when the facts disagree; that’s why throwing
data and rational arguments at people doesn’t change attitudes. What does change attitudes is emotional storytelling,
and that’s what the news media knows hooks readers. Another hook is in political motivations. Remember to ask
yourself: What is the purpose of this message, and who is the intended audience, and what techniques are being
used to grab and hold my attention? Add all of these factors together, and a news media report likely has gaps in
critical pieces of information that affects how the information should be used by consumers. Along these same lines,
realize that nothing “proves” in research. Research may show a “correlation,” a “connection,” or may “suggest,” but
there are simply too many factors in any one person’s life to “prove” an outcome. A website that currently does a good
job at presenting information factually and without bias is MedicalXpress.com.
Seek out a balanced argument. Look for sources that readily open a discussion about parenting ideas, whether new
-age or traditional, and that provide all sides of a debate: risks, benefits, and alternatives. Demand transparency:
Credible sources disclose their biases and conflicts of interest.
Look for Attachment Parenting synonyms. While the merits of any parenting style should be weighed with your
values and belief system, there are many parenting programs that are in line with Attachment Parenting principles but
that are called by another name, such as connection, instinctive, empathic, sensitive, unconditional, peaceful, natural,
and nonviolent parenting, and others do not refer to any name in particular. Attachment Parenting is an umbrella term;
it includes every style of childrearing that creates and strengthens secure parent-child attachment bonds. However,
not all parenting styles are as inclusive as Attachment Parenting; some may discourage bedsharing for example or
may advocate a certain parenting choice that API does not take a stance on such as cloth diapering or circumcision.
Try It Out!
Practice applying these guidelines to this recent study from New Zealand on bedsharing effects on infant breathing. Compare your
analysis with Dr. James McKenna’s comment included in this Huffington Post article. Hint: Study API’s Infant Sleep Safety
Guidelines.
Remember the 2011 Milwaukee Anti-Bedsharing Campaign in Wisconsin, USA, comparing bedsharing with babies to allowing the
baby to sleep with butcher knives? Read through API’s response to get a new perspective on what this scare tactic was missing.
When the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning to parents in 2010 about slings putting infants at risk of
suffocation, API stepped up with babywearing safety guidelines. Use these guidelines to discern which media reports were done with
fairness and professionalism and which used cultural trends to sensationalize the issue.
Wondering whether you should try out an API Support Group in your area? Read through this API Parenting Support Survey for real
suggestions from real parents. Does it affect your decision?
And then there’s the 2010 study by Marjorie Gunnoe at Michigan, USA, that came out in favor of spanking for character development
in children. StopHitting.com, which is on API’s Trusted Resources list on page 70, put out the facts about the validity of this study.
Western culture likes to place an age limit on the benefits of breastmilk. Should you? The International Breastfeeding Centre
addresses this.
Birth choices are always a hot topic. What do you think, based on these guidelines? Are repeat Cesareans safer than VBAC (Vaginal
Birth After Cesarean) for all women with a history of Cesarean with their first baby? Or are the risks associated with VBACs blown out
of proportion? Read this assessment by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Want to get serious on your
quest? Many parents rely on trusted organizations to sift through the research, but for the researcher in you, PubMed’s database is a
great place to start.
Your analyses don’t have to be fancy. Three solid bullet-points about any study or article is fair. Share and discuss your
analysis with parents and professionals on API’s Forum.
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