Assessing Risk Factors for Problem Parenting: The Significance of Social Support

This paper reports on the extent to which three social psychological variables-social support, life stress, and personal control-constitute significant risk factors with respect to maladaptive parenting. Case comparison analyses were used to assess the power of these factors in distinguishing a sample of known maladaptors from a sample of comparison mothers. Our results indicate that social support, as experienced or perceived by the individual, effectively distinguishes among women who vary in their adaptation to the parenting role. While life stress and personal control are also significant in this context, these results suggest that social support may be of dramatic adaptive relevance.