• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• no.36
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• pp.101-132
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• 2011

Using data collected from Korean mothers (N＝429) with preschool children (aged 3 to 5 years) in 12 day care centers in Seoul, this study aims to empirically demonstrate the different pathways acute and chronic stress affect parenting efficacy of mothers according to the income group to which they belong. Analytic results show mothers in the low-income group show higher levels of depressive symptoms than mothers in the middle-income group, and the former also show more frequent and higher levels of acute and chronic stress than the latter. The mediation model results show that acute stress and chronic stress did not directly affect parenting efficacy, but rather indirectly affect parenting efficacy through maternal depressive symptoms. Acute stress and chronic stress are both significant factors affecting depressive symptoms with chronic stress exerting greater influence. When the total effect was analyzed, chronic stress has a greater effect on parenting efficacy than acute stress. The effect of chronic stress on maternal depressive symptoms is greater on low-income mothers than middle-income mothers, while the effect of acute stress on maternal depressive symptoms and the effect of those symptoms on parenting efficacy are greater on middle class families than low-income families. In order to maximize effective parenting in high-risk situations, the psychological welfare of mothers needs to be protected from the environmental difficulties they face. Based on the results, policies to support women and parents at the national and social levels are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2012

The purposes of this study was to investigate the relationship and interaction between infant temperament, development, mother's parenting stress and social support on mother's self-efficacy. Participants in this study included 1610 infants (825 boys, 785 girls) and their mothers. The major findings of this study were as follows: First, infant temperament demonstrated a direct relationship to mother's self-efficacy. Lower levels of infant temperament indicated lower levels of self-efficacy, and higher levels of infant temperament indicated higher levels of self-efficacy. Second, infant development demonstrated a direct relationship to mother's self-efficacy. Greater communicative and social interaction between mother and child demonstrated a higher level of maternal self-efficacy. Third, mothers' parenting stress demonstrated a direct relationship to mother's self-efficacy. Higher levels of parenting stress demonstrated lower levels of maternal self-efficacy. Forth, Social support demonstrated a direct relationship to mother's self-efficacy. Greater levels of social support demonstrated lower level of maternal self-efficacy. Fifth, the greatest single relationship effecting mother's self-efficacy was mother's parenting stress. This research suggests the need for development of diverse social policies and programs to help mothers reduce maternal parenting stress and support the development of positive parenting skills with the goal of boosting mother's self-efficacy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.453-461
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• 2010

Purpose: In this study differences in behavioral problems between children at risk for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and normally developing children were identified. Further, relationships between parental stress, depression, and child behavioral problems according to ADHD symptoms were explored. Methods: Participants were 222 elementary school children and their parents. The ADHD risk group was determined by the Korean-ADHD Rating Scale. Data were collected using the Korean-ADHD Rating Scale, Korean version of Child Behavior CheckList (K-CBCL), Parenting Stress Index, and Beck Depression Inventory. Data were analyzed using t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and regression analysis. Results: 1) The ADHD risk group showed higher levels of behavioral problems, parenting stress, and maternal depression than the normal group. 2) There were significant relationships between ADHD scores and parenting stress (r=.66), maternal depression (r=.35), internal behavioral problems (r=.47), and external problems (r=.55), but, ADHD risk scores were negatively correlated with social competence (r=-.40). 3) The regression analysis revealed that ADHD levels affected the child's internal behavioral problems, mediated by maternal depression ($\beta$=.29, p<.001). Conclusion: The study results show that higher risk scores for ADHD indicate a significant effect for behavioral problems. Also, parenting stress and depression influence child's behavioral problems. These results suggest that identification of children at risk for ADHD and development of parental education programs would contribute to the prevention of behavioral problems and aggravation of the ADHD symptoms.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

All living things have been developed efficient strategies to cope with external and internal environmental changes via a process termed 'homeostasis'. However, chronic prenatal maternal stress may significantly contributes to pregnancy complications by disturbing hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the automatic nervous system (ANS), and results in unfavorable development of the fetus. Dysregulation of these two major stress response systems lead to the increased secretion of the glucocorticoids (GCs) which are known to be essential for normal development and the maturation of the central nervous system. As Hox genes are master key regulators of the embryonic morphogenesis and cell differentiation, we aimed to determine the effects of dexamethasone, a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, on gene expression in mesenchymal stem cell C3H10T1/2. Analysis of 39 Hox genes based on reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) method revealed that the expression patterns of Hox genes were overall upregulated by long dexametasone treatment. These results indicate that maternal stress may have a deleterious effect on early developing embryo through the stress hormone, glucocorticoid.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.61-73
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of group art therapy on maternal parenting stress and self-efficacy. The subjects of the study included 16 parents of elementary school students who participated in a group art therapy program offered at B Education Center, Pusan. Eight parents who wanted to receive parental education were allocated into an experimental group, While the other eight parents were regarded as the control group. Mothers in the experimental group participated in the group art therapy program which discussed parent education theories. This Program was composed of 17 sessions, performed once a week for one and a half hours. Research tools employed included parent stress test and parent self-efficacy test. The following results were obtained: Group art therapy was found to bring about a statistically significant decrease in parenting stress. Group art therapy was also found to bring about a statistically significant increase in parent self-efficacy. These results suggest that a program which integrates various parents education theories, within a group art therapy setting, can become an effective parent education tool which decreases maternal parenting stress and increases parent self efficacy.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.87-102
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• 2013

This study examined the effects of paternal participation in child care and social support on planning for a second childbirth, focusing on the mediating effect of the mother's parenting stress. The 887 subjects studied in this paper were mothers who have a first child, and were selected from a sample of the 2nd Panel Study of Korean Children(PSKC) by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education(KICCE), conducted in 2009. Data was analyzed using a Structural Equation Model(SEM) to identify a structure and relationships among factors. The significance of indirect effects to test the mediating effect of maternal parenting stress was identified via bootstrapping. Results indicated that maternal parenting stress partially mediated the relationship between the father's participation in child care and planning for a second childbirth, and absolutely mediated the relationship between social support and planning for a second childbirth. The findings reveal the importance of reducing parenting stress, given its substantial impact on planning for a second childbirth.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.12 s.202
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• pp.1-14
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to identify how characteristics of young children (sex, age, birth order, temperament), parents (education level, employed or unemployed mother, mother's parenting behavior), and family (income) relate to young children's stress levels and to examine the relative effects of these variables on young children's stress. The subjects for this study were 287 young children, aged from 3 to 5 years old, selected from kindergartens and day-care centers in Busan. Data were analyzed with t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple regression. The results were as follows. (1) Young children's stress was correlated with young children's sex, age, birth order and temperament. (2) Young children's stress was correlated with parenting behaviors. (3) Young children's stress was not correlated with income. (4) Children's emotionality and maternal overprotective behavior were the most significant variables affecting the stress experienced by boys and girls, respectively. (5) Maternal overprotective behavior variable affected both sibling and only children's stress.

• Korean Journal of Child Education & Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.115-128
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of maternal parenting stress on early childhood adaptation and to verify the mediating effect of marital communication in the adaptation of young children to early education institution. Methods: The subjects of this study are 219 infants and their mother living in J city in Jeonbuk province. The data collected in this study were analyzed as spss 21.0 and amos 21.0, and the mediating effect was verified through structural equation modeling. Results: The results of this study are as follows: First, maternal parenting stress and marital communication have a direct influence on the adaptation of young children to early childhood education institution. Second, marital communication showed mediating effect on the relationship between maternal parenting stress and the adaptation of early childhood education institution. Based on these results. Conclusion/Implications: We discussed the importance of reduction of parenting stress and positive interpersonal communication between couples.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.2020-2028
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• 2015

This study was conducted in order to identify factors influencing maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant women, considering the factors presented in Mercer's theory: Becoming a Mother(pregnancy stress, self-esteem, dyadic adjustment, sense of mastery, antepartum stress). The data was collected through structured questionnaires from 140 pregnant women who visited the obstetric clinic and public health centers in a metropolitan area to have prenatal tests from August 23th to November 25th 2014. The data were analyzed by SPSS 20 software using descriptive statistics, the t-test, ANOVA, the Pearson's correlation coefficients and a stepwise multiple regression. The results were as follows: Maternal-fetal attachment in the group of pregnant women under 30 years of age was significantly higher than that in the group of over the age of 31(t=2.79,p=.004). Primiparas had higher maternal-fetal attachment than multiparas(F=3.27, p=.041). There was a negative correlation between pregnancy stress(r=-0.22, p=.009) and maternal-fetal attachment. Self-esteem (r=0.45, p<.001), dyadic adjustment(r=0.42, p<.001), sense of mastery(r=0.24, p=.005) and maternal-fetal attachment were, however, positively correlated. It was found that self-esteem, dyadic adjustment and age were some of the factors influencing maternal-fetal attachment among pregnant women. These variables explained 26.1% of the variance in maternal-fetal attachment. Findings of this study indicate needs for comprehension and assessment of self-esteem and dyadic adjustment in pregnant women through prenatal tests. Also, the intervention programs to improve maternal-fetal attachment among older mothers should be developed and implemented.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing parenting confidence in first-time mothers and to provide basic data for development of maternal role education programs. Method: The participants were 194 first-time mothers of babies aged 1-6 months who visited well-baby clinics in 4 hospitals. Instruments used in this study were self-reported questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression. Results: The parenting confidence level was moderate with a mean score of 3.26(range 1-6). Infant temperament was significantly correlated with maternal role confidence. Maternal role confidence was significantly correlated with child-rearing environment. Infant temperament and parenting stress were significant predictors explaining 50% maternal role confidence. Conclusions: Nursing Interventions to promote parenting confidence among first-time mothers of infants in their first year are needed to improve maternal perception to infant temperament and reduce parenting stress.