Differences in parenting behavior, parenting stress, marital conflict, and depression according to parenting beliefs among parents of infants

This study examined differences in parenting behavior, parenting stress, marital conflict, and depression according to parenting beliefs among parents of infants. To this end, data from the first wave of the Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel were analyzed for 3,350 mothers and fathers from 1,675 households with infant children, using frequency analysis, independent samples t-tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results were as follows. First, parents with child-centered parenting beliefs exhibited more positive parenting behaviors than those with self-fulfillment-centered beliefs, while showing higher levels of parenting stress, marital conflict, and depression. Second, when couples were classified into four groups based on the consistency of their parenting beliefs, the child-centered agreement group showed the most positive parenting behaviors but relatively high levels of parenting stress, marital conflict, and depression, whereas the self-fulfillment-centered agreement group showed the lowest levels of marital conflict and depression. These findings provide fundamental data for designing interventions and policy support aimed at promoting psychological well-being and desirable family relationships among parents of infants.