The Mediating Role of Parenting Stress in the Relationship Between Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology, Mothers’ Perception of Infant Temperament, and Mindful Parenting During the Postpartum Period

Abstract

To investigate whether mindful parenting differs according to maternal anxious and/or depressive symptomatology and mothers’ perception of infant temperament and to explore the potential mediating role of parenting stress in the relationship between anxious and depressive symptomatology, perception of infant temperament, and mindful parenting. The sample comprised 560 mothers (18–46 years) with a child 12 months old or younger, who completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Parental Stress Scale and the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale—Infant version. Approximately 22.1% of the mothers presented clinically significant anxious and depressive symptomatology levels. Those mothers had significantly higher levels of parenting stress and lower levels of mindful parenting than mothers with normal levels of anxious and depressive symptomatology. Mothers who perceived their infant temperament as difficult had significantly higher levels of parenting stress and lower levels of mindful parenting than those who perceived their infant temperament as easier. A path model was tested through structural equation modeling. Parenting stress mediated the relationship between anxious and depressive symptomatology and mothers’ perception of infant temperament and mindful parenting. Parenting stress seems to be an important mechanism explaining the associations between maternal anxious and depressive symptomatology, the perception of infant temperament, and mindful parenting. During the postpartum period, it is important to identify mothers with anxious/depressive symptomatology, as they appear to contribute to parenting stress and to be related to parenting skills. Psychological interventions may focus on reducing that symptomatology and parenting stress and promoting mindful parenting skills.