Comments on: Parents as Teachers Urges Parents to Enroll Their Children in Breastfeeding Study

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:15:05 +0000

there’s no coherent standard here that says it is a specifically bad idea for PAT to ask participants if they are interested in participating in a research study that might yield immediately useful data relevant to the policies and parenting ideas that PAT promotes and utilizes. There is no reason why it’s inappropriate for an organization to promote participation in research immediately relevant to its mission.

And it’s absurd to think that these kinds of voluntary organizations coerce parents in any way.

By: Eric D. Dixon

Eric D. Dixon — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:40:57 +0000

“Promoting research that evaluates the testable hypotheses of what might constitute good parenting is not promotion of good parenting services. This is an absurd conclusion.”

Well, no. One activity is the promotion of research, the other is the promotion of conclusions. They’re two different things. It may or may not be a good idea for the same organization to undertake both.

“Your evaluation of parents feeling ‘pressured’ or ‘guilty’ seems to be pure speculation”

What gave it away? The “may” or the “might”?

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:56:59 +0000

Not to mention the greater aggregate benefits of conclusive research on whether or not breastfeeding or any other parenting technique is a superior option. Being able to support their programs with data is precisely why it is appropriate for Parents as Teachers should promote participation in valuable research at times and places where researchers are looking for subjects.

By: Eapen Thampy

Eapen Thampy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:49:25 +0000

That makes absolutely no sense. Your argument is:
1. PAT should stick to their core mission of promoting good parenting services.
2. Promoting research that evaluates the testable hypotheses of what might constitute good parenting is not promotion of good parenting services. This is an absurd conclusion.

I can think of several reasons why participating in studies can be immediately beneficial to parents:
1. where parents and children are directly compensated for their time.
2. Access to scientific or medical evaluations as part of a study that parents might otherwise have to pay out of pocket on.
3. where contact with researchers enables parents to become more aware of good parenting techniques or at the very least the methods used to comparatively evaluate outcomes. Your argument that this isn’t necessary dodges the fundamental argument that interface determines behavior and that participation in research studies is a good way to decrease the marginal costs of each step in the process of becoming a better parent.

Your evaluation of parents feeling ‘pressured’ or ‘guilty’ seems to be pure speculation and I challenge you to document any cases where that might have happened. In any case there is no coercive behavior that is implied in the article you cite.

By: David Stokes

David Stokes — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:40:02 +0000

A Parents as Teachers post we can completely agree on!

I guess we also agreed that Parents as Teachers should receive the same budget cuts as other programs in tight budget times, instead of being protected for whatever reason.

In our own experience, we have never had our Missouri Parents as Teachers rep ask us to participate in a study. I guess it would be ok with me if they merely handed out a flyer about such things as part of the packets of information you get most meetings. Anything beyond that would be improper, as you discussed.