Structural Relationships between Infancy Mothers' Relational Variables and Parenting Stress

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study examined structural relationships between parenting stress and mothers' relational variables such as marital satisfaction, marital conflict, husbands' parental involvement, and maternal identity. METHODS: A nine-pathway hypothetical model was developed based on literature reviews. Two exogenous variables (marital satisfaction and marital conflict) and three endogenous variables (husbands' parental involvement, maternal identity, and mothers' parenting stress) were included in this model. Participants were 170 mothers of 5~7 month old children who visited the Public Health Center to be vaccinated between January 19 and March 27, 2015. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and structural equation modeling with PASW/WIN 22.0 and AMOS 22.0. RESULTS: The model fit indices for the modified model were suitable for the recommended level. Among mothers' relational variables, maternal identity, marital conflict, and husbands' parental involvement directly influenced mothers' parenting stress. Marital satisfaction did not have a direct and indirect influence on mothers' parenting stress, however, it directly affected maternal identity and husbands' parental involvement. These predictive variables of mothers' parenting stress explained 56.0% of the model. CONCLUSION: This study expanded the understanding of mothers' parenting stress and can be used to develop effective interventions to decrease stress.