Sen hetki on nytHenna Lähde
FI|EN

Research

Recent research

On this page I gather interesting research and articles on parenthood, early interaction and child development — along with my own reflections on them.

Article · 29.9.2026

Parents need support before their strength runs out ❤️

Recent research raises a question worth pausing over: do parents get support early enough — or only once their resources have already run out?

In the FinLapset study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL, 2025), 40% of mothers and 37% of fathers or other parents of preschool-aged children reported symptoms of burnout. Severe symptoms of burnout were experienced by 13% of mothers and 9% of fathers or other parents. A second THL study (2025) focused on families with infants, and according to it around one in three parents in these families experiences symptoms of burnout.

The broad Nordic research review The First 1000 Days in the Nordic Countries (2026) in turn shows what burdens families. Parents' wellbeing is shaped by many interwoven factors: mental health, loneliness, relationships, financial pressure, expectations placed on parenthood and the availability of services.

I think it is especially important to remember: in this individual- and performance-focused society, not all parents talk about their need for help. So it is not enough that services exist. They need to be varied, easy to reach and present in the everyday lives of families, so that support is available at a low threshold and help reaches right into the family's concrete daily life. Parents may need:

  • someone to talk to
  • practical help with everyday life and childcare
  • peer support for the relationship and for parenthood
  • help with a child's sleep or other burdensome everyday situations

Caring for a child's wellbeing also begins with caring for the child's parents. Preventive, easily accessible and timely support is an investment in the wellbeing of the whole family.

Studies

  • Itla / The first 1000 days of a child network · 2026

    Report highlights early support for families — the effects reach across a child's whole life

    A recent Nordic report highlights the importance of early identification, support and equal services during pregnancy and the first years of life. It brings together more than 60 psychosocial methods with research or effectiveness evidence for supporting families.

    Read the news item and report (in Finnish) →
    The research evidence is clear: social support, continuity of care, sensitive early interaction, stable living conditions and the early identification of risks all protect the wellbeing of the whole family.

  • Journal of Economic Psychology · 2026

    A positive parenting style is linked to a child's self-esteem, emotion regulation and cognitive skills

    An international study shows that a positive parenting style is associated with better self-esteem, emotion regulation and cognitive skills in children. The results underline how interactive and supportive parenting matters for child development.

    Read the study →

  • University of Oulu · 2026

    Maternal sensitivity protects preterm children from emotional and behavioural problems

    A large international study led by the University of Oulu shows that early parent–child interaction plays a key role in a child's development. Children born preterm have a higher risk of emotional and behavioural problems, but a mother's sensitive interaction — the ability to respond to a child's cues warmly and appropriately — is associated with fewer problems later in life, regardless of how preterm the child was. The data included 2,469 mother–child pairs from seven longitudinal birth cohorts in Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and Israel. The study was published in the scientific journal Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology in July 2026.

    Read the press release and study →
    The study brings important new knowledge by showing that early interaction is a significant factor in mitigating the risks associated with preterm birth. At the same time, sensitivity is known to be a skill that a parent can practise, and thereby also influence a child's later development.

Did this spark thoughts?

I'm always happy to discuss what research means in real life and in the everyday.

Get in touch