Abstract
This study was designed to examine whether parenting stress and child behavioral problems are significant predictors of parent–child conflict in the context of low-income families and how these relations are moderated by maternal nativity. The authors conducted multiple regression analyses to examine relations between teachers’ report of behavioral problems among preschoolers and self-report of parenting stress and parent–child conflict in a sample of 236 mothers. Findings showed that for both U.S.-born and foreign-born mothers, higher parenting stress is associated with greater parent–child conflict. Child behavioral problems are positively linked to parent–child conflict, but only for the U.S.-born mothers. The common experience of stress brought about by financial difficulties may account for the similar relation between stress and parent–child conflict among U.S.-born and foreign-born mothers. Different cultural backgrounds leading to different parenting beliefs and practices may explain the contrasting relation of parent–child conflict and child behavioral problems between the two groups.
Recommended Citation
Garcia, Aileen S.; Ren, Lixin; Esteraich, Jan M.; and Raikes, Helen H.
(2017)
"Influence of Child Behavioral Problems and Parenting Stress on Parent–Child Conflict Among Low-Income Families: The Moderating Role of Maternal Nativity,"
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Vol. 63:
Iss.
3, Article 1.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/mpq/vol63/iss3/1