Parental Psychological Distress and Their Attitudes Toward and Tolerance of Risky Child Play: Findings From 2 Nationally Representative, Cross-Sectional Surveys in Britain.

BACKGROUND: Stress shapes parents' decision making around risk-taking, yet little is understood about how this relates to the risks they allow their children to take. This study investigates the association between parental psychological distress and attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play in British parents of 2- to 11-year-olds. METHODS: Data from 2 cross-sectional, nationally representative samples, the British Preschool Children's Play Survey and the British Children's Play Survey, were used. Survey respondents were parents and caregivers of preschoolers aged 2-4 years and school-aged children aged 5-11 years in Britain, respectively. Surveys used comparable methods and validated scales. Parental psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) scale. Parental attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play were assessed by the Risk Engagement and Protection Survey (REPS) and the Tolerance of Risk in Play Scale (TRiPS). Linear regression investigated the association between K6 (exposure) and REPS and TRiPS (outcomes). Gender differences were tested with interactions and stratified analyses. RESULTS: Among 1009 preschool parents, mothers experiencing greater distress were more protective (B = 0.10, P = .038). Among 1272 parents of school-aged children, higher distress was associated with more protective attitudes (B = 0.08, P = .006) and less supportive attitudes for risk engagement (B = -0.07, P = .019). CONCLUSIONS: Parents who experience greater psychological distress have more risk-averse attitudes toward risky play in 2- to 11-year-olds than less distressed parents. Parental mental health is an important factor to consider when designing interventions to promote opportunities for child movement and risky play.