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Bidirectional Relationships Between Parenting Stress and Child Coping Competence: Findings From the Pace Study
Kimberly A Cappa1, Angela Moreland Begle2, Judith C Conger1
1Department of Psychology, Purdue University, 703 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Journal of Child and Family Studies
|July 20, 2019
Summary
Parenting stress and child coping skills influence each other bidirectionally. This study found that higher parenting stress was linked to lower child coping, and better child coping reduced parenting stress.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parenting stress is a significant factor impacting child development and family well-being.
- Child coping competence is crucial for navigating developmental challenges.
- Understanding the interplay between parenting stress and child coping is essential for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bidirectional relationship between parenting stress and child coping competence in preschoolers.
- To examine if parenting stress predicts child coping competence (affective, achievement, social) and vice versa.
- To explore ethnic differences in this relationship, controlling for child disruptive behavior.
Main Methods:
- Cross-lagged panel analyses were employed with data from 610 parents in a parent training program.
- The study assessed parenting stress, child coping competence, and child disruptive behavior.
- Longitudinal data allowed for examination of predictive relationships over time.
Main Results:
- A bidirectional relationship was confirmed: parenting stress predicted later child coping, and child coping predicted later parenting stress.
- Child coping competence consistently impacted parenting stress across ethnic groups.
- The predictive effect of parenting stress on child coping varied by ethnicity, showing bidirectionality only in African American families.
Conclusions:
- Parenting stress and child coping competence have a reciprocal, dynamic relationship.
- Interventions should address both parental stress and enhance children's coping skills.
- Findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive approaches in parent training and prevention programs.
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