In today’s social landscape, loneliness and social isolation have surged to critical levels, a concern highlighted by a recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General. Alarming data suggests that one third of parents experience persistent loneliness. In this project, we will employ meta-analysis to answer the following research questions: : (a) What is the overall effect of social support on parental sensitivity and on child mental health outcomes?; (b) Does parental sensitivity mediate associations between social support and child behaviour?; and (c) What sociodemographic and contextual moderators moderate these associations?  

This project is funded by a SSHRC Insight Development Grant awarded to Dr. Park (Principal Investigator), Dr. Sheri Madigan (University of Calgary, Co-Investigator), and Dr. Audrey-Ann Deneault (Université de Montréal , Co-Investigator).

Child research is essential for improving our understanding of child development and creating effective resources to support children and families. Yet, researchers often face difficulties recruiting child participants. To address this gap, this project will establish a child and family participant database for researchers at Mount Royal University (MRU) who wish to conduct child and youth research. This registry will enhance the efficiency of child-related research recruitment at MRU by providing researchers with access to a large and diverse group of participants who have expressed interest in participating in research studies. By streamlining the recruitment process, the database will facilitate a greater volume of quality research that advances knowledge in child development and promotes child and family well-being.

This initiative is led by Dr. Park (Principal Investigator), Dr. Michele Wellsby (Mount Royal University, Co-Investigator) and Dr. Cass Foursha-Stevenson (Mount Royal University, Co-Investigator).