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

Mothers often manage everyday discipline while also carrying the strain and worry that come with raising a child, yet these experiences are rarely studied together in Indian samples. This study examined the relationship between parenting attitude, parental stress, and anxiety in mothers. A quantitative, cross-sectional correlational design was used with 59 mothers selected through convenience sampling. Participants completed a 30-item questionnaire rated on a five-point Likert scale, in which parenting attitude was assessed through three dimensions (laxness, over-reactivity, and verbosity), and parental stress and anxiety were each assessed with ten study-developed items. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, and Pearson's correlation, with Spearman's rank correlation as an additional check. 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. Significant positive correlations were found between parenting attitude and parental stress (r = .52, p < .001), parenting attitude and anxiety (r = .44, p < .001), and parental stress and anxiety (r = .51, p < .001), and all three remained significant in a sensitivity analysis. Over-reactivity and verbosity were more strongly related to stress than laxness was. The findings suggest that difficulties in discipline, parenting strain, and worry tend to occur together, and that support for mothers could address emotional strain alongside parenting skills.