The Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (PSI-SF) is a popular brief assessment of parenting stress. However, its latent structure and psychometric properties have not been extensively addressed, in ...particular in non-Western cultures. The present study is the first to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the PSI-SF in parents from Mainland China (683 mother–father dyads; mean age of mothers = 37.10 years, SD = 3.68; mean age of fathers = 39.81 years, SD = 4.13). Initial analyses revealed that previously proposed factor structure of the PSI-SF did not fit the data well. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were then conducted to develop a psychometrically sound and efficient abbreviated version of the PSI-SF. In this new version of 15 items (PSI-SF-15), there are three factors (i.e., parental distress, parent–child dysfunctional interaction, and difficult child). This abbreviated scale showed strict measurement invariance across sex of parent and satisfactory internal consistency. The convergent validity of the PSI-SF-15 were supported by its expected relations with the original PSF-SF measures, the multitrait–multimethod procedure, and its expected relations with scores on parenting behavior, parental depressiveness, and children’s conduct problems. In conclusion, these results suggest that the PSI-SF-15 is a valid measure of parenting stress in Chinese parents, and that it holds promise as an informative and reliable alternative to the original PSI-SF when administration time is limited.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim
Parenting stress is associated with less optimal outcomes for children. Risk factors contributing to parenting stress in healthy toddlers have received little empirical attention. This study ...sought to determine the factors that are associated with parenting stress in parents of 18‐month‐old children.
Methods
We analysed cross‐sectional survey data from a prospective cohort study focused on parent–child mealtime interactions. Families with an 18‐month‐old child were recruited in Columbus, Ohio, USA, between December 2017 and May 2019. Adjusted stepwise linear regression models estimated associations between child factors (e.g., temperament), parental factors (e.g., depressive symptoms), quality of romantic relationship factors (e.g., adult attachment style) and home environment factors (e.g., household income) and parenting stress (Parental Distress subscale of the Parenting Stress Index‐4 Short Form).
Results
The 299 children included 129 (43%) females. Parents were on average 30.6 (SD 6.1) years old and included a diverse racial/ethnic cohort. Mean Parental Distress score was 24.3 (SD 6.8; score range 12–60). Higher Parental Distress scores were associated with greater parental depressive symptoms (B = 5.1 95% CI: 2.4, 7.7) and avoidant (B = 2.8 95% CI: 0.9, 4.6) attachment style. Other child, parental and home environment factors did not demonstrate statistically significant relationships with parental distress in the final model.
Conclusion
Our findings align with recommendations for paediatric providers to screen for parenting stress and mental health.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
The growing interest in the issue of parenting stress in Russia makes this problem relevant, whereas in foreign psychology this phenomenon has been developed for several decades. The analysis of ...foreign theoretical constructs of parenting stress allows us to assess the general understanding of this phenomenon, to see the similarities and differences of theories presented by foreign authors, as well as to apply a comprehensive approach to the study of this phenomenon in our country. The objective of the study is to analyze the main foreign theories and approaches to the phenomenon of parenting stress. The results: the research has revealed the two views on the nature, causes and consequences of the phenomenon under study, that harmoniously complement each other. The conclusions: parenting stress is the result of daily demands placed on the parent, of the expected resources, of the subjective perception of situations and children’s behavior, all of which are associated with the process of the child’s upbringing. Broken child-parent relations, behavioral patterns and the inability of the parent to accept the child’s personal characteristics are the consequences of parenting stress. The mental state of both the parent and the child deteriorates. The study has revealed that the interest of foreign researchers is shifting from the factors of parenting stress to its influence.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused numerous unexpected challenges for many families, and these long-lasting demands likely contribute to higher stress for parents. The aim of ...this study was to describe changes in parent stress longitudinally from before (retrospective) to two timepoints during COVID-19. Stressors that influenced parenting and strategies to manage parenting difficulties at each timepoint during COVID-19 are also described.
Parents (
= 433; 95% female) in the US with >1 child aged 5-18 years completed an online survey in May 2020 (T1; at the peak of stay-at-home mandates) and in September 2020 (T2; children's return to school). Surveys included the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and questions on parenting-specific stress, stressors that influenced parenting, and strategies to manage parenting difficulties during COVID-19. Retrospective report of pre-COVID-19 stress was assessed at T1; current stress was assessed at T1 and T2. Repeated measures analysis of variance examined changes in stress over time.
Parent's stress increased from before COVID-19 to T1 (PSS score: 16.3 ± 5.7 to 22.0 ± 6.4, respectively;
< 0.01), and decreased by T2 (19.2 ± 6.0), but remained elevated above pre-COVID-19 values (
< 0.01). Most parents (71.1%) reported an increase parenting-specific stress from before COVID-19 to T1, which continued to increase for 55% of parents at T2. Common stressors that impacted parenting during COVID-19 were changes in children's routines, worry about COVID-19, and online schooling demands. Common strategies parents used to manage parenting difficulties included doing family activities together, keeping in touch with family/friends virtually, and keeping children on daily routines.
Parent stress increased substantially during COVID-19 and has not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, suggesting the need for enhanced mental health resources and supports. Public health interventions should address parenting-specific stressors and effective strategies for managing parenting difficulties to mitigate their deleterious impact.
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is rare in childhood but becomes prevalent in adolescence, which suggests that early intervention might be indicated. As childhood predictors of NSSI in adolescence are ...largely unknown, identifying these predictors was the aim of this study.
In a birth cohort sample (n = 759) of Norwegian children, NSSI at 12, 14, or 16 years of age was regressed on predictors of NSSI at age 6 (parental factors: depression, parenting stress, negativity/hostility, emotional availability to the child; child factors: temperamental negative affectivity, emotion regulation, symptoms of emotional and behavioral disorders; external events: victimization from bullying, serious negative life events). Semistructured clinical interviews with adolescents and their parents were used to assess DSM-5–defined NSSI and NSSI disorder.
NSSI during the preceding 12 months at 12, 14, or 16 years of age was reported by 81 adolescents (10.0%, 95% CI 8.2-11.9), and NSSI disorder was reported by 20 adolescents (2.7%, 95% CI 1.9-3.8). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, female gender (odds ratio 11.6, 95% CI 4.0-33.5), parenting stress (odds ratio 4.8, 95% CI 1.4-16.5), and parental negativity/hostility (odds ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7) predicted NSSI, whereas child factors and external events were not predictive.
Parental factors when the child is 6 years of age—parenting stress and negativity/hostility toward the child—predict NSSI in adolescence. Universal and indicated programs targeting these aspects of parenting during childhood might reduce NSSI in adolescence.
We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work.
Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple endocrine, metabolic, respiratory, cognitive, and behavioral/psychiatric symptoms that may lead to severe ...emotional strain in their caregivers. In this study, we evaluated parenting stress by the Parenting Stress Index‐short form (PSI/SF) and parent‐reported behavioral symptoms by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/6–18) in families of children with PWS. Sixty‐seven home‐resident PWS patients and their families were recruited in this study. The patients' mean age was 14.9 ± 8.3 years, and 33 (50.8%) were male. High parenting stress was reported by 41.5% families, as determined by high total stress scores of PSI/SF. The patients in high stress families were significantly older than those in low stress families (18.2 ± 8.0 vs. 12.6 ± 7.8 years, p = .007). CBCL/6–18 was used to evaluate the somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms of PWS patients aged between 6 and 18 in the subgroup of the 35 families. In this subgroup, 37.1% of families reported high parenting stress. High stress families reported a higher T‐score in anxiety/depression, withdrawn behavior, somatic complaints, thought problems, attention problems, and delinquent and aggressive behavior of their children with PWS. After multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, the T‐score of somatic complaints was the only factor related to high parenting stress, with an odds ratio of 1.279. Our data demonstrated the high care burden of families with PWS and highlighted the importance of having dedicated medical care for both somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This study aimed to investigate mothers' parenting stress and explore its relationship with associated demographic variables in two-child families involving preschool children. A sample of 621 ...two-child families and a comparison group of 319 one-child families from China participated in the study; the children were aged between 3 and 7. The results showed that (1) mothers of two-child families had higher parenting stress than those of one-child families; (2) within the two-child families, demographic variables, such as birth order, gender combination, and the age gap were found to have significant effects on maternal stress levels; and (3) in two-child families, families with an income of less than 3000 yuan had significantly higher maternal stress than families with an income of more than 6000 yuan.
In a previous study, we demonstrated that the accumulation of parenting stress during prolonged school closures and restrictions on daily activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan indicates ...the need for mental health intervention for parents at higher risk of parenting stress. However, few studies have focused on parenting stress in other Asian countries, although they have experienced higher numbers of infections. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether parenting stress among caregivers increased across Asia due to school closures and restrictions on activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine whether there were any country-specific, cross-country, or cross-regional risk factors for increased parenting stress.
We conducted an online survey immediately after the number of new cases in India significantly increased (September-November 2020). We measured parenting stress, anxiety, and fear associated with the COVID-19 crisis, as evaluated by the Parenting Stress Index, Short-Form (PSI-SF), and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), across three Asian countries-India (
= 142), Malaysia (
= 69), and Japan (
= 182)-in addition to the United States (
= 203). We also investigated whether respondents had adverse childhood experiences (ACE) as a risk factor for parenting stress.
For all countries, we found significant increases in participants' current parenting stress levels, compared to what they recalled regarding their lives before COVID-19-related restrictions and school closures were enacted. Textual analysis qualitatively identified common terms related to parenting stress across all countries. We also found a statistical model that indicated ACE in parents was a critical risk factor for higher parenting stress
increasing anxiety and fear related to the pandemic.
These results indicate the need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Asian countries as well as Western countries. These results indicate that there is a need to improve the mental health of caregivers who are at risk for higher levels of parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic globally.
•Household TV may be detrimental to children’s development.•What is the prevalence of household TV among infants/toddlers from low-income homes?•What are the predictors of household TV among ...infants/toddlers from low-income homes?•Mothers reported a high level of household TV, especially during infancy.•Education, but not siblings, depression, or stress, was related to household TV.
TV use could be detrimental to children’s development because it may displace enriching activities like shared reading and caregiver-child interaction or disrupt children’s interactions with the adults in their lives by distracting both parties. Some prior research has shown that demographic factors (maternal education, siblings) and maternal mental health (depression risk and parenting stress) may predict household TV, but findings are mixed. Household TV is defined here as whether or how much the TV is on in the home. In the current study, we examine the following research questions: (a) what is the prevalence of household TV (i.e., whether or how much the TV is on) in the homes of infants and toddlers in a sample of families from low-income homes? and (b) do demographic characteristics (i.e., maternal education level and presence of siblings in the home), and maternal mental health (i.e., depression risk and parenting stress) predict household TV (i.e., whether or how much the TV is on)? Mothers (N = 220) reported on their household TV, education level, siblings in the home, depression risk, and parenting stress when children were four to seven months of age and again at 15–19 months of age. Results showed a high level of household TV, especially during infancy. Furthermore, education level, but not siblings, depression risk, or parenting stress, was related to household TV during infancy and toddlerhood. These findings are discussed in relation to prior research and the potential for informing future interventions or education efforts.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
To examine associations between prolonged early household food insecurity (FI) during pregnancy, infancy, and toddlerhood, and child feeding practices, and the mediating role of dysfunctional ...parent-child interactions.
We conducted secondary longitudinal analyses of data from the Starting Early Program (StEP) randomized controlled trial, which studied a primary care-based child obesity prevention program for low-income Hispanic families. Our independent variable was FI, using the USDA Food Security Module, during the third trimester of pregnancy and at child ages 10- and 19-month. Frequency of reported FI was defined by the number of periods with FI (0, 1, 2, or 3). Our dependent variables were feeding practices at child age 28-month using the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire. Our mediating variable was dysfunctional parent-child interactions using the Parenting Stress Index subscale at age 19-month. We used linear regression to determine associations between frequency of reported FI and feeding practices adjusting for covariates, and mediation analyses to determine if dysfunctional parent-child interactions mediate these associations.
Three hundred and forty four mothers completed assessments at child age 28-month. Of the 12 feeding practices examined, higher frequency of reported FI was positively associated with using food as a reward, restriction of food for weight control, and using food for emotional regulation, and was negatively associated with monitoring of less healthy foods. There was a significant indirect effect of frequency of reported FI on these practices through dysfunctional parent-child interactions.
Higher frequency of reported FI was associated with four feeding practices, through dysfunctional parent-child interactions. Understanding these pathways can inform preventive interventions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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