10th Biennial ACSPRI Social Science Methodology Conference in conjunction with the Australian Social Network Analysis Conference (ASNAC)

Valid and reliable measures of parenting constructs are crucial in parenting program evaluation and evidence. As childrearing varies across cultures, good measurement practices point to validating measures of parenting within specific contexts, however the extent to which this occurs in research with Indigenous caregivers is unclear. Across disciplines, Indigenous participants are generally poorly represented in the design and norming of measures. Furthermore, when developed from Eurocentric and Western standpoints, measures assume universality of constructs, their conceptualisation and operationalisation. Conducted by an international team of Indigenous and allied scholars, this scoping review seeks to identify measures of parenting constructs that have been applied in Indigenous family-focused research in Australia, Aotearoa, Canada, and the United States. The review aims to describe the characteristics of measures, including constructs, psychometric qualities and the extent to which Indigenous leadership and perspectives have been incorporated in their development and use. Data extraction draws on the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality Appraisal Tool and the cultural continuum of measure adaptation and development. Seven databases were searched, yielding 5,805 deduplicated records for title and abstract screening, with 185 sought for retrieval. Full text screening resulted in around 90 records for inclusion. Preliminary findings from the data extraction suggest substantial use of existing measures developed in non-Indigenous contexts, with some measures adapted on a surface structural level in attempts to increase contextual relevance. There were, comparatively, fewer culturally grounded measures, or deep adaptations in the included studies. Reporting of Indigenous leadership and contextual knowledges were inconsistent, indicating that greater emphasis needs to be placed on genuinely describing how Indigenous families, communities and scholars have led or participated in measure selection and adaptation. Identification of parenting measures across the cultural continuum will be helpful for program evaluators and practitioners to make informed decisions on measures, and promote the adoption of measures that reinforce strengths-based approaches that are meaningfully aligned with the experiences and needs of Indigenous families.