Parenting Education Through an Adult Education Lens: A Structured Literature Review

This study explores how parenting education (PE) is represented in adult education literature. PE is commonly researched with a focus on child development and outcomes, even though parenting plays a significant role for most adults. This structured literature review (SLR) examined 32 articles from 29 adult education journals to investigate how PE is conceptualized in the domain of adult education, with a focus on parents as learners. Three research questions guided the SLR: (1) in what context do adult education journals address parenting, (2) how are parenting programs framed within adult education literature, and (3) to what extent is PE recognized as a valid method for adult learning or lifelong education. Themes that emerged from the review included (1) PE within a dedicated parenting program, (2) PE within other AE curricula, informal learning, or media, and (3) parenting identity and advocacy. The findings indicate that PE remains overlooked in adult education academic discourse. PE can be framed in adult education research to emphasize parent learning as vital in identity development, adult learning, and lifelong learning. This review implores scholarly inquiry from adult education to position PE as a fundamental part of adult education, to invite the integration of adult learning principles into parenting programs, and thus frame PE as adult learning.