Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.00.0.00
Between Ideals and Expectations: How Parents Perceive their Role and Social Pressures
Ivana Moranduzzo
; University of Zadar, Department of Psychology, Zadar, Croatia
*
Ina Reić Ercegovac
; University of Split, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Split, Croatia
Sandra Nakić Radoš
; Catholic University of Croatia, University Department of Psychology, Zagreb, Croatia
Maria Blaić
; University of Zadar, Department of Psychology, Zadar, Croatia
Tea Mesić
; University of Zadar, Department of Psychology, Zadar, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Intensive parenting refers to a high level of parental
involvement, emotional engagement, and investment of
resources in the child, accompanied by a strong reliance on
expert recommendations. The aim of this study was to
examine how parents of children of different ages perceive
key dimensions of intensive parenting and how they
experience the challenges, pressures, and expectations
associated with the parental role. The research was
conducted in three Croatian cities (Zagreb, Split, and Zadar
across nine focus groups with 52 participants (47 mothers
and 5 fathers), with highly educated mothers from urban
areas being predominantly represented in the sample.
Thematic analysis was carried out according to predefined
areas of interest, and the findings indicate that parents
recognise elements of intensive parenting within
contemporary norms, yet simultaneously strive to resist them,
emphasising the importance of balance, realistic
expectations, and family well-being. The conclusions
highlight the need for further research involving more diverse
samples and deeper exploration of cultural specificities in
parenting practices.
Keywords
intensive parenting; parental experiences; focus groups; qualitative analysis
Hrčak ID:
350480
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2026.
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