Parenting Attitude, Parental Stress, and Anxiety in Mothers: A Correlational Study

Mothers handle everyday discipline while also carrying the strain and worry of the parenting role, yet these experiences are often studied separately. This study examined the relationships between parenting attitude, parental stress, and anxiety among mothers. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was used with a convenience sample of 59 mothers, who completed a 30-item questionnaire rated on a five-point Likert scale. Parenting attitude was assessed through three discipline dimensions based on the Parenting Scale (laxness, over-reactivity, and verbosity), and parental stress and anxiety were each assessed with ten statements developed for the study. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, and Pearson and Spearman correlations. Mean scores were 3.30 (SD = 0.54) for parenting attitude, 3.06 (SD = 0.89) for parental stress, and 3.16 (SD = 0.72) for anxiety. Parenting attitude correlated positively with parental stress (r = .52, p < .001) and anxiety (r = .44, p < .001), and parental stress correlated with anxiety (r = .51, p < .001). Over-reactivity and verbosity were more closely related to stress than laxness was. Internal consistency was high for the stress (α = .91) and anxiety (α = .88) scales. The findings suggest that discipline difficulties, stress, and worry tend to occur together in mothers, although the design does not permit causal conclusions. Support programmes for mothers may benefit from addressing stress and worry alongside parenting skills.