This study aimed to examine the mediating role of parenting efficacy and the moderated mediation effect of spousal parenting cooperation in the relationship between parenting stress and parental burnout among mothers with young children. A survey was ...
This study aimed to examine the mediating role of parenting efficacy and the moderated mediation effect of spousal parenting cooperation in the relationship between parenting stress and parental burnout among mothers with young children. A survey was conducted with 270 mothers of preschool-aged children, and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 29.0 and PROCESS Macro 3.4.
The results showed, first, that parenting efficacy partially mediated the relationship between parenting stress and parental burnout. Second, the relationship between parenting efficacy and parental burnout was moderated by spousal parenting cooperation. Third, a moderated mediation effect was confirmed, indicating that the mediating effect of parenting efficacy in the link between parenting stress and parental burnout was moderated by spousal parenting cooperation.
These findings provide empirical evidence for an integrated moderated mediation model that explains the relationship among parenting stress, parenting efficacy, spousal parenting cooperation, and parental burnout. The study highlights the theoretical implications for preventing parental burnout and emphasizes the need for counseling and parental education programs to enhance parenting efficacy. Furthermore, the findings underscore the critical role of spousal parenting cooperation as a buffer against parental burnout.