Hopeful Parenting: A Systematic Literature Review on Hope among Parents

Parenting is inherently future-oriented and requires a long-term commitment and coping with uncertainty. In recent years, numerous studies have included hope in the study of parenting. This study is a systematic review synthesizing the existing literature on hope among parents. Following a PRISMA process, the authors searched for empirical studies that quantitatively measured hope among parents. After screening for titles, abstracts, and full text, 45 articles emerged—many involved parents from understudied populations and parents facing life adversities. Studies revealed strong relationships between parental hope, social support, and well-being. In addition, higher hope was associated with more positive parenting practices. Research also indicated that parents could improve their hopefulness through interventions. However, more intervention studies should investigate the efficacy compared to a control group and determine if the effect is long-lasting. This review suggested a need for more research with rigorous designs to understand the role of hope in parenting better.