Abstract
The current study adopted a positive psychology approach to examine the role of a positively oriented style of parenting—strength-based parenting (SBP)—on levels of stress in primary school aged children. Specifically, the study tested the degree to which SBP was directly and indirectly related to stress levels in children, partly through its influence on children’ coping responses. A community sample of Australian upper-primary school aged children (N= 103; Mage = 11.30; SD = 1.10; 57% female, 43% male) participated in a cross-sectional, mixed methods field study using self-report surveys and behavioral vignette. A series of multiple regression analyses found that SBP was significantly negatively related to stress levels and significantly positively related to strength-based coping in children. In addition, strength-based coping partially mediated the rela-tionship between SBP and stress levels in children, suggesting that one reason why SBP reduced stress in children was that it encouraged children to take strength-based coping approaches when faced with adversity. SBP thus increases the endogenous resources (i.e., personal strengths) that children can draw upon to address resources with demands that leads to stress. The discussion provides practical implications for SBP and suggestions for future research in this area.
Highlights
Stress can be defined as a set of physiological, psychological and behavioural reactions to stimuli that threaten a person’s well-being (Palmer, 1989)
The current study examines the role of parents in helping children to overcome and reduce their stress
Stress ratings by the children were significantly, negatively related to their ratings of the degree to which they receive strength-based parenting (SBP) and the degree to which they would use strength-based coping in the 2 minor stress vignettes
Summary
Stress can be defined as a set of physiological, psychological and behavioural reactions to stimuli (good or bad) that threaten a person’s well-being (Palmer, 1989). Stress is typically brought about by an imbalance in demands. How to cite this paper: Waters, L. L. Waters and resources (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), arising when a person perceives that he cannot adequately cope with the demands being placed upon him (Lazarus, 1966). Waters and resources (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), arising when a person perceives that he cannot adequately cope with the demands being placed upon him (Lazarus, 1966) In this way, stress is a phenomenon that is caused by a mismatch between demands and resources, rather than the demands of the environment itself (Cox, 1978)
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