Abstract

• This paper intended to investigate the parenting knowledge levels of parents, to investigate the perceptions of parents on the importance of parenting practices, to investigate the performance levels of parents on parenting practices, to examine the variations of perceptions and performance on parenting practices by the parents’ personal factors, and to identify the predictors of parents’ personal factors on their parenting practices. Descriptive research design was used in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. By using the stratified random sampling method, 420 parents were selected as sample from three strata in Yangon Region. The questionnaire, interview, and observation were used to collect the required data. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) for degree of importance was 0.93 and level of performance was 0.94. Descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, Item Percent Correct (IPC), and Multiple Regression Analysis were used to analyze the quantitative data. According to the overall mean value, the findings of the study revealed that parenting knowledge level of parents regarding three areas of knowledge was satisfactory (Mean=0.81, SD=0.14). All the parents perceived that the parenting practices for child physical, emotional, social and cognitive development were important and they often practiced them. Therefore, parents’ perceptions on the importance of parenting practices was satisfactory (Mean=3.23, SD=0.31) and level of performance on parenting practices was also satisfactory (Mean=3.10, SD=0.38). There were significant differences in parents’ perceptions and performance on parenting practices grouped by level of education, monthly income, strata, and parenting knowledge levels. According to the beta weight of multiple regression analysis, strata was the best predictor for parenting practices (R²=.07, F(6,413)=5.874). According to the result of qualitative study, it was found that the parents from inner and outer suburban strata had no complete basic parenting knowledge and they could not perform the parenting practices satisfactorily.