ABSTRACT
This three-paper dissertation aims to contribute to the growing literature of intensive mothering by providing empirical evidence on the links between endorsement of intensive mothering ideology on parenting-specific psychological well-being and parenting experiences. The first paper focuses on understanding the associations between the endorsement of intensive mothering, involvement in childcare, mental health symptoms, and parenting-specific psychological well-being, and whether mothers' demographic characteristics moderate these associations. Findings of this study illuminate how the message that mothers should engage in parenting behaviors that align with intensive mothering beliefs in order to achieve the status of "good mother" is linked with parenting experiences of mothers of young children. The second paper aims to extend previous studies on intensive mothering and maternal well-being by investigating the existence of different patterns of endorsement of intensive mothering beliefs and whether those different patterns are associated with maternal demographic characteristics, parenting guilt and parental burnout. This study employs Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify intensive mothering profiles based on mothers' endorsement of the five sub-beliefs of the Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (IPAQ;Liss et al., 2013). Findings of this study highlight the heterogeneity of endorsement of intensive mothering beliefs and help understand who may be at greater risk of experiencing poor psychological outcomes linked with intensive mothering. The third paper investigates longitudinal associations between intensive mothering and self-reported changes in mothers' parenting behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, including examining parental burnout as a potential mediator of these associations. Findings of this study provide insight into how feelings of burnout may serve as a risk pathway that explains the impact of subscribing to intensive mothering on parenting behaviors during stressful times, such as the global pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
This three-paper dissertation aims to contribute to the growing literature of intensive mothering by providing empirical evidence on the links between endorsement of intensive mothering ideology on parenting-specific psychological well-being and parenting experiences. The first paper focuses on understanding the associations between the endorsement of intensive mothering, involvement in childcare, mental health symptoms, and parenting-specific psychological well-being, and whether mothers' demographic characteristics moderate these associations. Findings of this study illuminate how the message that mothers should engage in parenting behaviors that align with intensive mothering beliefs in order to achieve the status of "good mother" is linked with parenting experiences of mothers of young children. The second paper aims to extend previous studies on intensive mothering and maternal well-being by investigating the existence of different patterns of endorsement of intensive mothering beliefs and whether those different patterns are associated with maternal demographic characteristics, parenting guilt and parental burnout. This study employs Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify intensive mothering profiles based on mothers' endorsement of the five sub-beliefs of the Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (IPAQ;Liss et al., 2013). Findings of this study highlight the heterogeneity of endorsement of intensive mothering beliefs and help understand who may be at greater risk of experiencing poor psychological outcomes linked with intensive mothering. The third paper investigates longitudinal associations between intensive mothering and self-reported changes in mothers' parenting behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, including examining parental burnout as a potential mediator of these associations. Findings of this study provide insight into how feelings of burnout may serve as a risk pathway that explains the impact of subscribing to intensive mothering on parenting behaviors during stressful times, such as the global pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The current study investigates associations between parents' perceived coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) psychological impacts and experiences of parental burnout, children's behaviors, and income. METHODS: Data were collected during an online survey of parents' (N = 1000) pandemic experiences in April 2020. Parents (M = 36.5 years old, SD = 6.0; 82.1% White) with at least one child 12 years or younger reported on measures of mental health, perceived COVID-19 impacts, parental burnout, and perceived increases in children's stress and positive behaviors. RESULTS: Path model analyses revealed that parents who perceived increased psychological impacts from COVID-19 reported higher levels of parental burnout, greater increases in children's stress behaviors, and less positive behavior in children. Additionally, there were significant indirect effects of parental burnout on the link between COVID-19 psychological impacts and children's behaviors. Finally, family income moderated associations between psychological impacts and children's stress behaviors, such that the association was stronger for families with lower income. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest parents' perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health has implications for parent and child well-being, with stronger associations for low-income families. Given the potential for spillover effects between parents and children, promoting family well-being through practice and policy initiatives is crucial, including providing financial and caregiving relief for parents, and mental and behavioral health support for families.