ABSTRACT
In today’s society, one will find a variety of parenting practices that might be imbedded in the parent’s religious beliefs. However, little research has been done on the influences of religious beliefs on parenting practices. The aim of this paper was to systematically examine whether religion or religious beliefs influence parenting practices. The study engaged in a systematic review methodology that objectively analysed the studies dealing with the issue. The findings of the study revealed that the influence of religious beliefs on parenting practices has both a positive and negative impact on the children and the family as a whole.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Edna G. Rich
Edna G. Rich holds an Honours degree in Clinical Social Work (Substance Abuse Addiction) (UCT), a Masters degree in Child and Families Studies and a PhD in Social Work at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Dr. Rich currently serves as faculty member of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Children, Families and Society at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. As an Associate Professor, she also serves as the Deputy HOD, as well as the co-ordinator of the Masters Research programme in the department. She lectures on a number of modules within the Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Family Studies such as: Parent-Child interaction; Substance Abuse in the Family, and co-teaches on the Applied Research and the Research Project modules. She supervises the dissertations of Honours, Masters, and PhD students in research in her field of interests, and has published and co-published both locally and internationally. Her areas of research interest are: Parenting research, Family Family well-being; and the factors that put family well-being at risk, such as Substance abuse in the family, and Human trafficking.
Abigail Willemse
Abigail Willemse is currently a PhD student at the University of the Western Cape in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Family and Society. Abigail holds a Masters degree in Child and Family Studies with a focus on the impact of maternal substance use on the cognitive development and school readiness of children in early childhood development. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and her research interest are in early childhood development, substance abuse in families, child and family well-being and children’s interaction with society. She served as a research assistant to both Professor Rich and Professor Erasmus.
Charlene J. Erasmus
Charlene J. Erasmus is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society at the University of the Western Cape. She has a PhD in Human Ecology. Her work currently focuses on post graduate supervision and research relate to children, families and society within the Social Sciences. Her field of interest is early childhood development, families, households and their interaction with society. She believes her and her students work relates to the sustainable development goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all (SDG 4). Their research focuses amongst aspects of family connectedness, nurturing care in early childhood development, parental involvement, promoting adolescent and family well-being and families engagement with social issues which relates to SDG 3, that focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.