Sources of parental stress, dysfunctional parenting, children's behaviour problems and buffering conditions in dual-earner families

Abstract

Based on a multinational sample of 1802 dual-earner families with at least one child between the ages of 3 and 5, this study investigated whether the link between family-related stress and/or work stress and problematic child behaviour were mediated by parental overreaction or moderated by a family-friendly work environment. Results revealed that family-related stress and work stress were related to problematic child behaviour and that for both parents this link was partially mediated by parental overreaction to their children's misbehaviour. A family-friendly workplace predicted less parental overreaction for both parents. With respect to problematic child behaviour, this holds for fathers only. However, for both parents, a family-friendly workplace did not moderate the links between work stress on parental overreaction and problematic child behaviour. Although no causal conclusions can be drawn from the findings based on a cross-sectional design, this study attests to the potentially harmful consequences of family- and work-related stress as well as the positive influence of a family-friendly workplace on dual-earner families' quality of parenting and their young children's behaviour problems.

Keywords:

• dual-earner families
• family-related stress
• work stress
• parental overreaction
• problematic child behaviour
• family-friendly workplace

Acknowledgement

The authors thank Dipl.-Psych. Cathrin Barbara Heider for her contribution relating to this study.

Notes