Multiple sources of stress and parenting behavior

The purpose of this study was to assess how stress specific to the parenting role (i.e., parenting stress) and multiple role-related stress affect parenting behavior. A non-random sampling strategy was used, and 85 mothers of young children consented to participate in this study. The results showed that parenting stress both directly and indirectly affected parenting behavior, while multiple role-related stress indirectly affected parenting behavior. Both parenting stress and multiple role-related stress directly affected parental symptomatology. Furthermore, social support buffered the relationship between parenting stress and parenting behavior, and between parenting symptomatology and parenting behavior. Implications of these findings for professionals working with mothers of young children are discussed.