The effect of parenting stress on social interactive parenting with a focus on Korean employed mothers' parenting support from ecological contexts

Abstract

This study examined the mediating effects of working mothers' perceived parenting support from multilayered ecological contexts between parenting stress and social interactive parenting in Korea. As the employment rate of Korean mothers has increased over time, there is a growing concern for identifying available and affordable parenting support to allow mothers the opportunity to balance both work and family. This article reviewed the essential supportive factors that working mothers in Korea need to raise an infant within a comprehensive framework. Participants in this study included employed mothers from 445 families who had at least one infant and who were identified from the nationwide Panel Study of Korean children (PSKC). Families were chosen from dual-working families so that both mothers and fathers could be included, as they clearly expressed their current employment status as full-time workers. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the relations among variables. The results verified that parenting stress was negatively associated with perceived family functioning, social support and community support of mothers, and the association between parenting stress and the social interactive parenting of mothers was mediated only by social support. Moreover, the indirect effect of parenting stress on social interactive parenting through social support was significant. These findings suggest the importance of supportive factors in helping mothers balance both work and family after childbirth while also considering the perceived parenting support of working mothers in a scope of multidimensional ecological contexts. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.