Kudos to PhD student Ashlee Vance and her advisors for the submission of her FANNP Fellowship application entitled "Trajectory of Parenting Confidence." This proposal requests funds for a one-year period with a start date of March 1, 2017.

Abstract: Infants with complex chronic conditions (I-CCCs) have substantial caregiving needs and high healthcare utilization. Parents of I-CCCs learn to parent within the hospital environment. Parenting confidence (PC) is defined as a parent’s belief about their ability to be successful in their parenting role. Confident parents’ feel empowered and perceive the management of caregiving demands as less stressful. Contextual factors like family centered care, family functioning, and infant caregiving complexity are hypothesized to foster the development of PC. A longitudinal multimethod design will examine PC development and the influence of contextual factors among parents of I-CCCs from infant’s diagnosis of CCC, discharge, and 3 months after discharge. The new knowledge gained from this study will further our awareness about the multifaceted needs of these parents. The long-term health and development of I-CCCs depends on confident parents, which can be supported by understanding of the development of PC and influence of contextual factors on changes in PC.