The Effects of Maternal Parenting Knowledge and Mother-Caregiver Relationship on Parenting Stress

This study examined the effect of parenting knowledge and mother-caregiver relationship on maternal parenting stress. The participants in this study consisted of 297 mothers of 1~3 years old children at daycare centers in Daegu, Korea. The participants completed questionnaires on their parenting knowledge, mother-caregiver relationship, and parenting stress. The results indicated that mothers` parenting knowledge and parenting stress were not-significantly related, but mother-caregiver relationship and mothers`parenting stress were significantly related. A close look at the effect of parenting knowledge and mother-caregiver relationship on maternal parenting stress, while maternal parenting knowledge did not influenced directly parenting stress, mother-caregiver relationship was a significant variable predicting mother`s parenting stress. In particular, when a mother and caregiver develop a positive relationship, maternal parenting stress was lower. These results seem to indicate that the positive relationship between mother and caregiver is very important.