Parenting stress in early motherhood: stress spillover and social support

Abstract Mothers facing stressors or lacking adequate support often find parenting more challenging and less enjoyable. This study examined the mechanisms through which contextual variables might influence perceptions of parenting. Participants were 153 mothers of toddlers who completed interviews and questionnaires on life adversity, social support, negative affect, and parenting stress. Life adversity was positively associated with parenting stress and this association was mediated through negative affect. Emotional support moderated the association between adversity and negative affect. Life adversity appeared to promote negative affect, which in turn led mothers to regard their child as more obstinate and demanding and their interactions with their children as less enjoyable. Adversity had little effect on parental perceptions among mothers with adequate emotional support.