Date of Award
3-25-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
School Name
Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education
Department
Business Administration
Major Advisor
Dr. Kristin Cook
Second Advisor
Dr. Terry Brooks
Third Advisor
Dr. Diane Courington
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Stephanie White
Abstract
Food insecurity is a significant form of material hardship associated with elevated parental stress, disrupted parenting practices, and adverse child outcomes (Cain et al., 2022; Gill et al., 2018; Hines et al., 2024; Leung et al., 2022). However, some parents experiencing food insecurity maintain high levels of parental self-efficacy, defined as a parent’s belief in their ability to effectively support their child’s development, which acts as a buffer to parental stress (Crnic & Ross, 2017; Raikes & Thompson, 2005). The purpose of this study is to identify potential supports and conditions that aid in the development and maintenance of parental self-efficacy among parents experiencing food insecurity and then use those insights to contribute to improved parental and child wellbeing and overall family functioning. The research was guided by these questions:
RQ1.1 How do efficacious parents experiencing food insecurity describe the development of their parental self-efficacy?
RQ1.2 What factors do these parents attribute to the enhancement or inhibition of this development of parental self-efficacy?
RQ2.1 How do efficacious parents experiencing food insecurity describe the maintenance of their parental self-efficacy?
RQ2.2 What factors do these parents attribute to the enhancement or inhibition of this maintenance of parental self-efficacy?
This phenomenological study utilized Photovoice as a participatory action research method involving a sample of three parent participants who were efficacious and experiencing food insecurity. Based on co-created data collection and analysis of parent participants’ lived experiences, four main themes emerged: community, internal sustenance, plan of action, and interconnectedness. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a theoretical understanding of parental self-efficacy in the context of food insecurity and offers implications for community organizations, policy development, and participatory research practices aimed at supporting and empowering families experiencing economic hardship.
Recommended Citation
Howell, Taylor G., "Parental Self-Efficacy in the Context of Food Insecurity" (2026). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones. 211.
https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/tdc/211