La parentalidad positiva en la crianza de los niños de 3 a 5 años de los Centros de Educación Inicial del Ecuador

Abstract

Abstract: The present research, with a quantitative exploratory-descriptive approach and grounded in Bowlby s attachment theory and Bronfenbrenner s ecological model, aimed to determine the level of positive parenting competencies among fathers and mothers of children aged 3 to 5 years attending an early childhood education center in Salcedo Canton, applying the Positive Parenting Scale (Escala de Parentalidad Positiva E2P) to an intentional sample of 20 participants. The results revealed a profile of high parental vulnerability, with 50% of caregivers located in the risk zone and 75% below the optimal range, highlighting a consistent dissociative pattern, significant strengths in explicit dimensions alongside important deficits in implicit competencies; likewise, the instability of the family structure, manifested in marital status, age, and educational level of the parents, emerged as a significant predictor of lower parental competence, while the level of schooling showed no linear relationship. These findings highlight the urgent need to implement intervention programs focused on the development of reflective skills, the improvement of emotional attunement, and the strengthening of family and community support networks.