The Relationship Between Paternal Marital Conflict, Parenting Stress and Parenting Efficacy on Children's Self‐Regulation in Korea: The Mediating Role of Positive Parenting Style

ABSTRACT In this study, we aimed to explore the relationship between marital conflict, parenting stress and parenting efficacy of fathers on children's self‐regulation via a positive parenting style. For this purpose, a structural equation model was developed. The seventh data collected under the Panel Study on Korean Children by the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education were used for analysis. Data included responses of 1463 fathers with a child between 72 and 79 months of age. The fathers' mean age was 39.28 years (SD = 3.99). SPSS 24.0 and Amos 24.0 were used for data analyses. The results of this study were as follows: First, paternal marital conflict had a significantly positive influence on parenting stress and children's self‐regulation, and parenting stress had a negative influence on parenting efficacy. In addition, parenting efficacy had a significantly positive influence on positive parenting style, and positive parenting style had a positive influence on self‐regulation. Second, paternal marital conflict, parenting stress and parental efficacy indirectly or directly influenced positive parenting style. Paternal marital conflict, parenting stress and parenting efficacy indirectly or directly influenced children's self‐regulation via a positive parenting style. The results of the study suggest the need to reduce marital conflict, parenting stress, and increase parenting efficacy in order to positively influence children's self‐regulation through parenting style.