Abstract
The present study was designed to evaluate the bidirectional relationships between parenting stress and child coping competence. Data from a diverse sample of 610 parents enrolled in the parenting our children to excellence program was used to evaluate whether parenting stress negatively contributes to affective, achievement, and social coping competence in preschoolers, as well as whether child coping competence predicts parenting stress; after accounting for child disruptive behavior. Results from cross-lagged panel analyses demonstrated a bidirectional relationship, such that parenting stress predicted later child coping competence and child coping competence predicted later parenting stress. Assessment of ethnicity differences indicated that child coping continues to have a long-term impact on parenting stress, regardless of parent ethnicity. The same relationship did not hold for earlier parenting stress on later child coping competence, however, indicating a bidirectional relationship for African American families, but not for their European American counterparts. The relationship between parenting stress and child coping competence is discussed with respect to their conceptual and clinical implications. Suggestions for parent training intervention and prevention programs are given.
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Acknowledgments
This study would not have been possible without the collaboration of Marsha Hearn-Lindsey, Director, Child Care Answers, Indianapolis, of all the parents and children who participated in various aspects of the research, and of staff members who played major roles in data collection and program implementation, including Amanda Mosby, Sharon Hampton, and Stephanie Wynder. Their help and encouragement are gratefully acknowledged. This study was supported by grant R49/CCR 522339 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the first author. The support and encouragement of Linda Anne Valle, Ph.D., and Michele Hoover is gratefully acknowledged. The study’s findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Begle is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health Training Grant T32 MH18869-15.
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Cappa, K.A., Begle, A.M., Conger, J.C. et al. Bidirectional Relationships Between Parenting Stress and Child Coping Competence: Findings From the Pace Study. J Child Fam Stud 20, 334–342 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-010-9397-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-010-9397-0