Parenting Among Mothers with High Psychosocial Stress in South-Central Appalachia: Aspirations, Actions, and Intervention

Conceptualizations of adaptive parenting within Appalachia have been historically limited by the scarcity of research with the region as well as stereotyped depictions of Appalachian parents. As such, this project aimed to examine Appalachian parenting through a culturally sensitive lens by centering lived experiences through the ecological systems theory. The sample included mothers (n = 41) who attended Mom Power, an attachment-based, trauma-informed parenting skills intervention in the Appalachian Highlands. Reflective Thematic Analysis was used to analyze qualitative interview data by exploring and conceptualizing current parenting challenges and associated maternal feelings and reactions. Results include the development of a metaphor that highlights the microsystem and macrosystem factors affecting mothers within the Appalachian Highlands and offers paths for protection and intervention. Clinical and policy implications are discussed.