Levels Of Parenting Stress Research Articles

The texture of parental experiences with online learning: the interplay of norms, relationships, and emotions

This article reports findings from a mixed-method study investigating parents’ perspectives and experiences in navigating their children’s online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved surveys of parents (n = 775) and interviews (n = 32) conducted in eight primary schools in Hong Kong. Statistical analyses revealed that parents’ perceptions of online learning (PPOL) were positively affected by their self-efficacy in providing online learning support, their expectations for parent-teacher communication, and their satisfaction with schools’ support. Conversely, increased levels of parental engagement and stress, and the need for regular school updates negatively affected PPOL. Qualitative findings showed that parents’ perspectives were influenced by experiences tied to their normative role expectations and their perceptions of teachers and schools, which subsequently shaped their emotional responses to online learning. These findings offer nuanced insights for developing policies and practices aimed at better supporting parents’ engagement in the digital era.

Levekår, emosjonelle plager, resiliens og foreldrestress – en kartlegging av flyktningfamilier fra Ukraina

The integration program in Norway is mandatory and offered by all municipalities to newly arrived refugees. The program offers education-oriented activities on Norwegian society, including mandatory parent programs. In 2023, a decision was made to allow municipalities to shorten this element for families from Ukraine, due to capacity constraints. To make informed adjustments, the municipalities need more information about the needs of parents from Ukraine. This article aims to provide knowledge that can help decision-makers plan and implement further adaptations of social and health services. The participants were families with children aged 6-12 from seven municipalities. They answered an electronic questionnaire that included questions on the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (short version), the Resilience Scale for Adolescents, and the Parenting Stress Index (short version). Our study reveals that refugees from Ukraine are a vulnerable group with significantly low economic living conditions, and 26 % of the sample reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. Despite this, parents demonstrated resilience through their social resources, family cohesion, and low levels of parental stress. However, it is important to note that mental health issues and increased parental stress may emerge after a certain period following flight and settlement in Norway, and poor financial conditions can exacerbate these concerns. Keywords: parent programs, refugees, Ukraine, low economic conditions

Financial insecurity and mental well-being: experiences of parents amid the lebanese economic crisis

BackgroundThis study investigates the impact of financial insecurity on the mental well-being and stress levels of parents in Lebanon amid the country’s severe economic crisis. The context of Lebanon’s economic collapse, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion, has exacerbated financial and psychological distress among the population. This research aims to understand the correlation between financial instability and parental stress, identifying key factors contributing to mental health challenges in this demographic.MethodsEmploying a quantitative research approach, data was collected through an online survey from 785 parents from different backgrounds in Lebanon. The survey incorporated sociodemographic questions, the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFW), and the Arabic version of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.ResultsFindings showed significant correlations between high levels of parental stress and factors such as age (r = 0.071, p = 0.047) and lower education levels. Notably, refugees residing in Lebanon exhibited higher stress levels compared to Lebanese parents (mean stress score: 51.73 vs. 45.71, p < 0.001). Similarly, employed participants exhibited higher stress levels compared to the nonworking (mean stress score: 46.75 vs. 44.60, p = 0.003). A significant inverse association was found between financial well-being and parental stress (r=-0.216, p < 0.001), emphasizing the profound impact of economic instability on mental health.ConclusionsThis study highlights the adverse effects of financial insecurity on parents’ mental health, primarily during a period of economic instability, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted support interventions. These findings contribute to the literature on economic crises and mental health, providing a basis for future research and policy development in similar contexts.

Impact of Domestic Task Involvement toward Parental Stress on Dual Earner Couples

Purpose: The prevalence of dual-earner couples in Indonesia, particularly in urban areas, has led to an increase in their roles both at work and in the family. This situation often results in inappropriate domestic task involvement, which in turn affects the stress levels of these couples. Understanding the impact of domestic task involvement on parental stress is crucial for the fields of family studies, psychology, and sociology. Method: The research included 237 respondents obtained using purposive sampling techniques, and the results were analyzed with quantitative methods with criteria for early adulthood, working married couples, having children aged at least six years, and being domiciled in Jabodetabek. Data was collected through a survey using the instruments Subject’s Involvement in Household Chores and Partner’s Involvement in Household Chores for the independent variable and Parental Stress Scale for the dependent variable. Data was analyzed using quantitative methods through multiple regression analysis to test the impact of domestic task involvement on parental stress. Result: The results show that domestic task involvement has a significantly negative impact of 3.4% on low levels of parental stress. The multiple regression test shows the calculated significance level of 0.017 &lt; 0.05. Subject Involvement and Partner Involvement simultaneously have a negative influence on parental stress. Conclusion: The study underscores the pivotal role of collaboration between husband and wife in managing domestic tasks, which can significantly reduce parental stress. These findings not only contribute to the academic discourse but also suggest practical strategies for supporting dual-earner couples in Indonesia.

The effect of live-performed music therapy with physical contact in preterm infants on parental perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels.

Parents of preterm infants face a stressful life event which might have long term impact on the parent-child relation as well as on the infant's cognitive and socio-emotional development. Both music therapy (MT) and physical contact (PC) are stress-reducing interventions for parents and preterm infants on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Meanwhile, especially close PC is considered as standard care (SC) in most NICUs. However, the effect of live performed MT with PC on parental perceived stress and cortisol levels has barely been investigated. We hypothesized that MT with PC leads to reduced stress levels and lower salivary cortisol concentrations compared to SC in parents of preterm infants during the first 4 weeks after birth. Randomized-controlled trial enrolling the parents of 99 preterm infants (MT n = 50, SC n = 49 infants). The infants received either MT with PC or SC only. Perceived stress was measured with the perceived stress questionnaire 20 (PSQ-20) after birth and 4 weeks later. Salivary cortisol levels were obtained and measured weekly after birth for 4 weeks. Forty-two mothers and eight fathers of the intervention group (MT with PC) as well as n = 43 mothers and n = 6 fathers of the control group (SC) were enrolled. For the intervention group, salivary cortisol was reduced 4 weeks after birth [mothers 5.5 nmol/l (confidence interval (CI) 3.6-7.5); fathers 8.3 (CI 7.2-9.4)] compared to the control group [mothers 10.3 nmol/l (CI 5.4-15.3); fathers 14.8 (CI 8.9-20.7)]. Overall perceived stress scores decreased in the intervention group (mothers -17.6; fathers -12.6) and increased in the control group (mothers +6.1; fathers +21.4) over 4 weeks. Live-performed MT with PC in preterm infants might be an effective, non-invasive intervention to reduce parental stress and cortisol levels. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of this intervention on the parent-infant relation as well as on the infants' cognitive and socio-emotional development. https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00025755 identifier [DRKS00025755].

Black Mothers of Children With and Without ADHD: Relationships Among Maternal Psychopathology, Parenting Stress, and Parenting Cognitions.

Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) endorse increased parenting stress and lower levels of parenting efficacy and satisfaction as compared to parents of children without ADHD. Additionally, maternal ADHD and depression differentiate children with and without ADHD, with children with ADHD being more likely to have a mother with psychopathology. With a focus on an understudied population, we investigated the extent to which maternal self-reported ADHD and depression were associated with self-reported parenting stress and parenting cognitions in 70 Black mothers of children with (maternal Mage = 35.52, SD = 6.49) and without ADHD (maternal Mage = 35.39, SD = 6.53) recruited from a metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. Analyses indicated that Black mothers of children with ADHD reported higher levels of parenting stress, lower levels of parenting efficacy, and lower levels of parenting satisfaction. However, there were no significant differences between groups on measures of maternal ADHD or depression. Maternal depression significantly accounted for variability in both parenting satisfaction and parenting stress beyond child ADHD and maternal education. With maternal depression in the models, the association between maternal ADHD and parenting stress and parenting satisfaction lost significance. Given the racial disparities in the treatment of ADHD, future research should focus on investigating the linkages between maternal depression, parenting stress, parenting satisfaction, and parenting behaviors in Black mothers in order to delineate whether there are cultural adaptations that may improve treatment utilization rates for child ADHD within this population.

Parenting stress levels among parents of autism children

Parenting stress levels among parents of autism children

The effects of infant abdominal massage on the parental stress level among Chinese parents in Hong Kong – A mixed clustered RCT

ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness and the experience of infant abdominal massage on reducing the parental stress level.MethodsA clustered RCT was conducted, 160 parents were recruited from 10 mother groups. An infant abdominal massage class was given to those in the intervention group by a certified International Association of Infant Massage instructor. The Chinese Parenting Stress Index (PSI-SF) was used to measure parental stress levels at baseline and 4 weeks after the intervention. 8 parents from the intervention group were invited for an online interview to understand the experience of parents in participating the infant abdominal massage class. Thematic analysis was applied.ResultsThe parental stress level was significantly decreased among intervention group with a mean difference of -5.46 (95% CI = 0.72 to 10.2, p = .049). ITT analysis was adopted for compliance analysis. The overall compliance for the intervention was 66% and found to have a significant effect on parental stress level (p < .01). The total PSI-SF among fathers was slightly higher than that among mothers. Furthermore, no moderating factors were found to have a significant interaction effect on PSI-SF (p < .05).For qualitative data, an overarching theme was generated that infant abdominal massage brought a positive experience despite the uncertainties affecting the compliance. Four themes and nine sub-themes were identified. Which were: (1) receiving clear and informative infant abdominal massage classes; (2) The influence of uncertain conditions on compliance; (3) Improving parental satisfaction; and (4) feeling it was a worthwhile experience.ConclusionThis study provides a cost-effective method for parents to tackle their parental stress, the findings aid in the planning or adjustment of current postpartum depression screening while also helping to lower the risk of postpartum mood disorders.Trial registrationClinical Trial Number (NCT05650424 || http://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05650424), registered on December 1, 2022. and HKU Clinical Trails Registry (HKUCTR3008), registered on November 3, 2022.

Validation of the Dutch Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being Screening Tool in Parents of Infants Less than 12 Months of Age

To evaluate reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being (ICPW) tool in identifying parents struggling with infant crying in the first year of life. The original ICPW tool was translated into Dutch following established guidelines. The internal consistency and criterion validity of the Dutch ICPW tool were evaluated using a cross-sectional design. The translated ICPW tool and validated questionnaires on parental depression, stress, anxiety, and parenting balance were presented to parents of infants under 12months during child health care visits and online. The survey was completed by 488 parents, 400 mothers and 88 fathers. Of these, 172 participated after a child health care visit and 316 via online platforms. The Dutch ICPW showed satisfactory internal consistency (α=0.69) and excellent criterion validity with parental mental health measures (r=0.53-0.85). ICPW scores demonstrated positive correlations with parental depression, stress, and anxiety levels, and a negative correlation with parenting balance. Both mothers and fathers with a positive ICPW screen (≥3) reported significantly higher levels of parental mental health issues compared with those with a negative screen (P<.001). The ICPW was positive in 32% of the parents (n=155), with consistent total scores regardless of the infant's increasing age (r=-0.024, P=.59). The ICPW tool exhibited a strong negative predictive value (93%) for diagnosing postpartum depression. The Dutch ICPW tool is a reliable and valid screening instrument for identifying parents struggling with infant crying.

Parenting Stress and Child Behavior Problems among Latino and non-Latino Families of Autistic Children: Exploring Day-to-Day Temporal Relations

Behavior problems are common among young autistic children and are related to elevated parenting stress levels among their caregivers. However, previous studies of this population have rarely examined relations between child behavior problems and parenting stress at a daily level and, to date, have not examined how these relations may differ for Latino families. Using a day-to-day, within-person design, this study bidirectionally examined these temporal relations among 70 families of autistic children (ages 3–5 years, 74.3% male, 49% Latino parents) who participated in a 14-day daily-diary study. Parent-reported child behavior problem severity and parenting stress were measured daily. Constructs were partitioned into their between- and within-person components and analyzed using time-lagged MLM models. At the between-person level, greater reported child behavior problem severity, relative to the group average, was positively associated with next-day parenting stress and vice versa. This relationship was moderated by Latino ethnicity, such that the positive relationship between reported child behavior problem severity and next-day parenting stress was weaker for Latino (versus non-Latino) families. These bidirectional relationships differed at the within-person level, such that, unexpectedly, greater-than-usual parenting stress, compared to parents’ own average, was negatively associated with next-day child behavior severity. Findings underscore the value of using daily diary methodology to decompose between- and within-person effects, and reveal potential intervention targets to improve parent and child functioning, particularly among minoritized families of autistic children.

Parenting stress in infancy was associated with neurodevelopment in 24-month-old children with congenital heart disease.

Having a child with congenital heart disease (CHD) is stressful for parents, but research on the impact this stress can have on child development has been lacking. We investigated the associations between parenting stress when children were infants and neurodevelopmental outcomes in toddlers with CHD. This study was carried out at the Neurocardiac Clinic at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital in Montréal, Canada. Patients born from 2012 to 2019 and followed up to 24 months of age were recruited. Parenting stress levels were measured when the child was 4-6 months and 24 months and the child's neurodevelopment was assessed at 24 months. Multiple linear regressions analyses were carried out. We studied 100 children (56% boys) with CHD. Most of the parenting stress scores were below the clinical threshold. However, they accounted for a significant part of the variance in the children's cognitive (15%-16%), receptive language (14%-15%) and gross motor outcomes (15%-18%). They had no impact on the children's expressive language or fine motor outcomes. Higher parenting stress was associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in toddlers with CHD. Early screening of parenting stress in CHD clinics is necessary to provide individualised intervention for parents and optimise neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.

Parental stress interaction with environmental factors in childhood allergic asthma: Early life significance

Although stress and indoor/outdoor environments have been independently linked with asthma, their interactions on childhood physician-diagnosed allergic asthma (PDAA) remain undisclosed. We aimed to research the effect of parental stress and their interactions with indoor/outdoor environmental factors on childhood PDAA. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken of preschoolers at Changsha, a city in central China. We collected information on parental stress levels and various indoor environmental exposures, through questionnaire surveys. Outdoor air pollution exposure was obtained from ten ambient pollution monitoring stations in Changsha, and individual pollution exposure were calculated. Using logistic regression models, we assessed the individual and synergistic impacts of parental stress and indoor/outdoor factors on childhood PDAA. We found that preschoolers' PDAA showed a significant association with high parental gross annual income and psychological stress indicators including fatigue, headache, and inattention, with ORs = 2.10 (1.31–3.35), 1.38 (1.04–1.82), 1.33 (1.07–1.65), and 1.42 (1.14–1.76), respectively. Furthermore, in preschoolers with high parental economic stress, the association between indoor mold/moisture spots and PDAA was notably more pronounced. Significantly stronger association between outdoor SO2 exposure in the past year in preschoolers with socially stressed parents. Parental headache and inattention exacerbated the effects of PM2.5-10 and PM10 exposure during the 7-9th months before pregnancy and throughout the pregnancy on PDAA. Preschoolers with high parental psychological stress and high exposure to outdoor atmospheric pollutants showed an increased likelihood of developing PDAA. Our research suggests that both parental stress and its interaction with hazardous environments from indoor sources and atmospheric pollutants contribute to PDAA.

Effectiveness of a home-based, post-discharge early intervention program for very preterm infants in reducing parental stress: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThis study aims to evaluate the impact of a home-based, post-discharge early intervention (EI) program on reducing parental stress levels in families with preterm infants born between 28+ 0 and 31+ 6 weeks gestational age.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted, with families randomly allocated to either the EI or standard care (SC) group. A term reference group was also recruited for comparison. The Parental Stress Index-Short Form was used to assess parental stress levels, yielding a total stress score and three subdomain scores. Assessment was performed at baseline, at the 60-day mark of the study, and when the infants reached six corrected months of age. Parents in the reference group were assessed only at six months of corrected age for infants. The intervention comprised three sections: intellectual, physical, and social training, which was administered to the infants in the EI group immediately after discharge and to those in the SC group after 60 days of enrollment.ResultsSeventy-three families were enrolled in this study, with 37 allocated to the EI group, and 36 to the SC group. Prior to intervention, higher stress levels were reported by mothers in both groups than fathers, with no difference observed between the EI and SC groups. Re-assessment performed at 60 days of the study showed that mothers and fathers in the EI group had significantly lower total stress score than those in the SC group (82.00 ± 5.64 vs. 94.26 ± 7.99, p < 0.001; 80.74 ± 7.14 vs. 89.94 ± 9.17, p < 0.001, respectively), which was predominantly due to the lower scores in parental distress and parental-child dysfunction interaction subdomains in the EI group (both had p < 0.001). Mothers in the EI group exhibited a more pronounced reduction in total stress score after intervention when compared to fathers (13.15 ± 4.68 vs. 8.26 ± 4.03, p < 0.001). At six months of infant age, the total stress score and subdomain scores of parents in the EI and SC groups were similar, but significantly higher than those of the reference group.ConclusionThe home-based, post-discharge EI program demonstrated significant effectiveness in reducing parental stress levels among the parents of very preterm infants.Trial registrationThis study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: CTR1900028330). Registration date: December 19, 2019.

Parenting stress, dyadic coping and endocrine markers of stress and resilience in foster and biological mothers.

Foster parents have been shown to report higher levels of parenting stress but also more dyadic coping (DC) behaviors in their partnership than biological parents, which might be an important protective factor that helps them cope with daily stressors. Here, we examined how parenting stress and DC are related in foster and biological parents and whether these are reflected in long-term alterations of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity. A total of 79 foster mothers and 131 biological mothers participated in a longitudinal study. At the initial assessment, children were aged 2-7 years and lived for an average of 18 months in their current foster family. Mothers' cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentrations and their cortisol/DHEA ratios were assessed in scalp hair twice with approximately 11 months in between, while their perceived parenting stress and DC were measured by self-report questionnaires. Results showed no significant differences between foster mothers and biological mothers in cortisol, DHEA and cortisol/DHEA concentrations. While more DC was longitudinally related to lower levels of parenting stress across both study groups, no significant associations were found to endocrine markers. Thus, these findings indicate that increased parenting stress levels were not, or not strongly, reflected in HPA axis alterations as assessed in hair. Our findings thus add evidence for non-significant associations between self-reported perceived stress and chronic HPA axis markers. Future studies may explore whether early interventions, including those aimed at promoting and maintaining positive DC, are beneficial in preventing the development of stress-related illnesses in foster parents.

Parental stress in childhood epilepsy

Background. Epilepsy is a common and persistent neurological disorder that typically affects children. In addition to the obvious physical and emotional outcomes for a child, epilepsy, like other chronic conditions, can have a profound impact on the well-being of family members. In order to comprehensively address and manage parental stress, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the various factors involved.Objective: to determine the influence of parental stress on the course of epilepsy in children.Material and methods. A search for publications devoted to the study of parental stress in pediatric epilepsy in scientific databases PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, eLibrary identified 2670 articles. After the selection, 39 publications were included in the review.Results. There are a number of questionnaires that allow determining the level of parental stress: PSI, PSI-SF, PIP, IPES. They have shown their accuracy and have been validated in studies devoted to parental stress in parents of children with chronic diseases, including epilepsy. The relationship between the level of parental stress and the prognosis of epilepsy course, psychological state of children and the quality of life of parents was shown. The need for additional psychological support for parents of children with epilepsy was indicated. The feasibility of using biomarkers of brain damage in children as an additional tool for assessing the severity of parental stress was presented.Conclusion. Children with chronic conditions, such as epilepsy, and their families often face a number of interrelated problems. These include parental stress, difficulties in following treatment plans and adjusting to school, social discrimination. Despite the relevance of this issue, there are no large-scale, longitudinal studies examining stress in parents of children with epilepsy, so the relationship between epilepsy and parental stress is not fully understood. A collaborative approach is necessary, in which both the child and parents take responsibility for the treatment of the disease.

Parental Stress and Coping Strategies in Parents of an Educational Institution in Times of COVID-19

As a consequence of the COVID-2019 pandemic, parents had to adapt to a new way of life, facing different stressors through the use of coping strategies. The aim of the study was to establish the relationship between parental stress and coping strategies in parents of an educational institution in the district of Cartavio, Peru. The research was descriptive-correlational, non-experimental cross-sectional design, with a sample of 108 parents, using the Parental Stress questionnaire, in its reduced version and adapted to the Peruvian context, and the Stress Coping Estimation Inventory (COPE). The results indicate a positive relationship between parental stress and the strategy of behavioral disengagement; parental stress levels belonged mostly to the medium category with 67.5%; the predominant stress coping strategies were active coping and positive reinterpretation - personal development, both with 18.5%. It is concluded that there is a relationship between the parental stress strategy and behavioral disengagement.

Parental Stress and Psychological Distress and Their Association With Spousal Support Among Parents of School-Age Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South India: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to families in the form of social isolation, economic difficulties and inaccessibility of educational and supportive services. To assess the levels of parental stress and psychological distress among parents of school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyse its correlation with spousal support. A cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted among the parents of school-age children in south India. One hundred thirty-two completed responses were obtained. Study tools included Parental Stress Scale, Spouse Support Scale and Kessler's psychological distress scale-6 item version. The mean parental stress score was 42.39 ± 9.679. Sixty percent of the participants reported moderate to high levels of psychological distress. Parental stress and psychological distress scores were noted to have a significant negative correlation with spousal support scores (r=-.486, p=.000 and r=-.401, p=.000 respectively). Our study findings show that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the psychological well-being of parents of school-age children. Supportive interventions to address parenting difficulties need to be undertaken to prevent long-term adverse mental health outcomes. Lessons learnt from the pandemic are important for clinicians and policymakers to take measures to alleviate parental stress as well as to promote the psychological well-being of parents and children.

The Effect of Touch and Massage Techniques Applied to Children on Parental Role Perception and Perceived Stress

Aim: The study examined the effects of tactile and massage techniques on the occupational therapist’s perspective on the role perception and stress levels of parents and the changes in children’s sensory processing. Method: A total of 30 children, (18 females and 12 males), aged 3-6, with normal development, and their parents were included in the study. A diverse community sample of mothers (M=33.6±5.521 years) and their preschool-aged children (M=4.5±1.2 years) participated in the study. The following instruments were employed: Parental Stress Index, Self-Perception Scale for Parenting Role, and Sensory Profile Test. Parents were instructed in a number of touch and massage techniques devised by the Occupational Therapist within the framework of Sensory Integration Theory. Following the 15-minute and 20-session implementation period, the parents were then tested. After the sessions were completed, the tests were repeated. Results: The findings indicated that at the end of the study, there was a decrease in parental stress levels, and an increase in parental role perception and children's sensory processing skills (p &amp;lt;0.05). The study demonstrated that touch and massage techniques can positively impact parent-child interaction. Conclusion: Studies examining the potential enduring effects of positive parental touch on stress levels and parental role perception rarely extend beyond infancy. It is believed that research with a larger sample size on this topic would contribute significantly to the existing literature.

Trajectories of maternal parenting stress and adolescent behavioral symptoms in unmarried families: The role of family immigration status

BackgroundMaternal parenting stress during childhood may have important influences on offspring internalizing and externalizing behaviors during adolescence in unmarried households, but it is unclear whether effects differ across different trajectory patterns of maternal parenting stress and for native-born vs. immigrant families. MethodsUsing data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we identified trajectory patterns of maternal parenting stress from ages 1–9 years using semi-parametric group-based trajectory modeling. We used negative binomial regression models to estimate associations between maternal parenting stress trajectories and adolescent behavioral symptoms at age fifteen. ResultsFive maternal parenting stress trajectory groups were identified among the 1982 unmarried families included in this study, representing consistently low (9.2 %), consistently mild (54.2 %), moderate and decreasing (14.4 %), moderate and increasing (16.0 %) and consistently high (6.2 %) levels of maternal parenting stress. For adolescent internalizing symptoms, all maternal parenting stress trajectory groups exhibited higher symptoms compared to the consistently low group: IRR for consistently mild: 1.21 (95 % CI: 0.98–1.56); IRR for moderate/decreasing: 1.34 (95 % CI: 1.04–1.74); IRR for moderate/increasing: 1.62 (95 % CI: 1.28–2.13); and IRR for consistently high: 1.74 (95 % CI = 1.29–2.41). Similar results were observed for adolescent externalizing symptoms. Stronger effects of maternal parenting stress trajectories on adolescent externalizing symptoms were observed among native-born vs. immigrant families. LimitationsDifferential attrition and same-source bias may lead to under- or over-estimation of the associations of interest. ConclusionsInterventions targeting unmarried families with elevated maternal parenting stress during childhood may reduce behavioral symptoms in adolescence.

Exploring Stress and Coping in Caregivers of Children with Pulmonary Vein Stenosis: A Mixed-Method Study.

(1) Background: This mixed-method study aims to identify and describe factors associated with acute and long-term parenting stressors and coping strategies in caregivers of children with intraluminal pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS). (2) Methods: Parents of children with severe PVS were recruited from a large quaternary hospital to complete a survey that included demographics, the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP), and the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP). We determined the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) based on self-reported home address. A subset of caregivers completed a 60 min semi-structured interview via Zoom exploring the impact their child's diagnosis had on their family; experience managing stress in the hospital and at home; current resources and processes for coping; and potential recommendations for hospitals to build resilience and coping. We used multivariable linear regression to examine the association between SVI and parental stress and coping while adjusting for possible confounders. Thematic analysis identified themes related to stress and coping. Finally, we assessed instances of convergence and difference between the qualitative and quantitative results. (3) Results: Participants included 32 caregivers who were 91% female with a mean age of 39 years. The children of participants were 66% female, with a mean age of five years. The parents reported a high amount of stress with an average PIP score of 120, nearly 46 points higher than similar studies in the congenital heart community. We observed no significant associations between SVI and either parental stress or coping in adjusted models. We identified 13 themes, including medical care, hospital, family, support systems, and home medical routine or support. (4) Conclusions: Our study found high levels of illness-related parental stress among caregivers of children with PVS. Stress evolved over time from what caregivers described as 'survival mode' to a future-oriented outlook. Currently, caregivers rely heavily on support networks that are not available to all caregivers or may experience strain over time. Caregivers indicated that communication and parental role functioning were coping strategies that could be better supported by providers and health systems.