Article

Effects of Maternal Economic Stress on Preschoolers’ Problem Behaviors: Mediating Effects of Maternal Depression, Marital Conflict, and Positive Parenting

Author

Han Yookyung, Shin Nana

Information

pp. 139~156 / 2023 Vol.30 No.1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the direct effect of maternal perceptions of economic stress on preschoolers’ problem behaviors and the indirect effects through maternal depression, marital conflict, and maternal positive parenting behavior. A total of 491 mothers of 3- to 5-year-old preschoolers participated in this study, and data were collected through the mother’s report. Using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 23.0, data were analyzed using the t-test, correlations, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The main results are summarized as follows. First, maternal economic stress did not directly affect preschoolers’ problem behaviors. Second, maternal economic stress had an indirect effect on preschoolers’ problem behaviors through maternal depression, and through marital conflict and positive parenting behavior, and through depression, marital conflict, and positive parenting behavior. In other words, the economic stress that mothers recognized had indirect effects on preschoolers’ problem behaviors through maternal depression, marital conflict, and positive parenting behaviors. Our study findings emphasize the importance of maternal depression in preschoolers’ problem behaviors. The results of this study are expected to be used as an empirical foundation for developing programs to prevent preschoolers’ problem behaviors.

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