Pretesting Parenting Instruments with Indigenous Fathers and Two-Spirit Parents: A Qualitative Study

Background and PurposeThis qualitative study is part of a larger Indigenous community-led project in Southern Ontario, Canada, to support Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents through the development of a culturally relevant parenting program. Conducted during Phase 2, this study pretested six well-established instruments to assess their clarity, comprehension, and cultural safety for use in evaluating the parenting program in Phase 3.Methods and ProceduresSix participants, all of whom were First Nations or Métis, either expecting a baby or parenting a child under the age of three, completed five instruments, specifically the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Relationship Assessment Scale (RAS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and either the Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (PAAS) or Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (PPAS). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather insights on the instruments' instructions, terminology, response scales, and cultural relevance. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis.ResultsParticipants identified barriers to understanding and accurately completing the instruments, including challenging terminology, ambiguous response scales, and cultural safety concerns. Recommendations included simplifying language, clarifying scale anchors, adding culturally relevant questions, and establishing culturally safe support pathways for participants disclosing distress.ConclusionEuro-Western developed instruments require refinement to ensure accessibility, cultural relevance, and safety for Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents. This includes adapting tools to reflect Indigenous literacy frameworks and holistic wellness perspectives. This study underscores the ethical imperative for researchers to ensure cultural appropriateness and safety when engaging Indigenous communities in research.