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Objective Using a cohort of foster and kin carers, the research examined the underlying factor structure of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS; Berry & Jones, 1995). A hypothesized underlying two‐dimensional theoretical model was explored. Background With the growing demands on the foster care system, including poor retention and recruitment of foster carers, there is an urgent need to explore the positive and negative factors that may influence carers continued engagement in the role. Method The factor structure of the PSS was examined in a sample of foster and kin carers in Australia (N = 324). The PSS consists of 10 statements addressing stressful aspects of parenting and eight statements addressing satisfying aspects of parenting. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) explored the underlying theoretical structure of the scale as determined by the developers. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm whether four factors would sustain reduction to a two‐dimensional (satisfaction–stress) model. Results EFA and CFA supported a two‐dimensional moderately correlated model measuring parent stress and parent satisfaction. The Parent Stress Index IV Short Form provided concurrent validity for the PSS stress subscale and previous analyses have also identified the strength of these dimensions over time, cohorts, and contexts. Conclusion The current study supports using the subscale scores in research with foster carers and potentially other populations to better capture both stress and rewards and satisfaction related to their parenting role. Implications Application of the PSS subscales can assess interactions or moderating effects of parenting in specific cohorts, making the PSS a valuable instrument to examine the balance between stress and reward for parents, foster parents and others who are “parenting” children.

Background/Objectives: Parental stress is caused by the accumulation of difficulties related to raising children and is directly related to the educational functioning of a family and family dysfunction. The PSI (Parental Stress Index) is an assessment instrument and is considered the gold standard for measuring parental stress; however, there is no official Spanish version of this tool. Methods: Both the PSI-4 long form and short form were administered to a sample of 828 parents of children between 0 and 12 years of age. Results: The discrepancy between the scores of the original typification sample and the Spanish sample necessitates the establishment of specific normative values. Regarding internal consistency, test–retest stability, and construct validity, the results demonstrate consistency with the original study and other adaptation studies. The validity of the theoretical structure of the instrument was studied using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA fit indices in the overall PSI-4 LF model (101 items distributed across 13 first-order factors and two second-order factors) are not satisfactory. Therefore, the methodology used by the author in constructing the PSI-4 was employed, which involved performing two exploratory factor analyses (EFA). The domains of both parents and children exhibit partial replication of the theoretical subscales of the PSI-4. The analysis of the short form of the PSI-4 SF (comprising 36 items distributed across three subscales and a total score) yielded results similar to those of the long form. Conclusions: These results suggest the potential for developing specific standards for the Spanish population and conducting criterion validity studies for the clinical use of all dimensions of the PSI-4 in its two forms (LF and SF).

The pandemic outbreak, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threatens proper family patterns by disrupting normal day-to-day activities, such as working patterns of parents by working from home, online children's education rather than regular school, a dilemma in children's education and health constrained movement by complete or partial home lockdowns to prevent disease spread, anxiety of disease spread, failure of home quarantine due to insufficient home situation and reduced personal protective equipment usage due to the extra financial burden, reduced social communications, increased health burdens than usual along with enormous toil with dependent family members, demands of financial burdens by multiple factors, reduced monthly income during pandemics, lack of employment or job insecurity, deviations in mental health among family members such as fear, anxiety, insomnia, severe depression, hetero aggression, child verbal or physical abuses, increased alcohol consumption and substance abuse or drug addictions, aggressive behavior, self-blaming or injury, unintentional suicidal tendencies, mood disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder and failure to meet health demands due to a lack of health facilities. Many contributing factors are affecting the normal family status than usual circumstances such as reduced hospital equipment or resources which is due to pandemic effects, social isolation due to outside quarantine measures, insecurity of the future and ongoing pandemic situation, fear of vaccination side effects, and so on. Therefore, we hope to raise awareness about the magnitude of parental stress levels and contributing factors. Moreover, these findings would encourage effective stress management to overcome the factors that contribute to parenteral stress and to improve coping skills to face the coming darkness with ease. It supports the preservation of physical, mental, and social well-being in families as well as minimizing or overcoming stressors, maintaining strong familial ties, and improving life expectancy globally during this pandemic.

Background The Parental Stress Scale (PSS) is a well-known tool widely used for assessing parenting stress. However, there is a lack of an Arabic-validated version. This study aimed to validate the PSS in Arabic for use with Lebanese individuals, specifically among parents in Lebanon. Methods A cross-sectional study including 589 parents in Lebanon were performed between May and July 2023, using random sampling of parents from the five Lebanese governorates. The PSS was translated into Arabic and administered using an online survey. The study collected the sociodemographic data of the participants and incorporated supplementary measures such as the Pediatric Symptom Checklist and the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess construct validity. Reliability was examined using Cronbach's alpha. Convergent validity was tested through Pearson correlations with the Pediatric Symptom Checklist and financial well-being. Results One item of the PSS items was removed. The factor analysis of the PSS scale showed three factors that had an Eigenvalue over 1, showing that the items converged over a three-factor solution, explaining a total of 64.83% of the variance. The Cronbach’s alpha values were 0.838, suggesting a good internal consistency. The CFI was 0.895 and TLI was 0.877. A significantly positive correlation was found between the PSS scale and the Pediatric symptom checklist. No correlation was found between the financial well-being scale and the PSS scale. Conclusion The PSS scale showed appropriate psychometric properties, with high internal consistency, good construct validity, and adequate concurrent validity, which makes it a short, valid, and efficient tool, valuable for the evaluation of the Parental Stress Scale among parents in Lebanon.

This study aimed to analyze the association pathways of parental stress on children's appearance, body dissatisfaction, and eating behaviours in Chinese children and adolescents. The children aged 8-15 years were selected from 2 nine-year schools using stratified cluster random sampling. The appearance-related social stress questionnaire and the body dissatisfaction subscale of EDI-1 were used to investigate parental stress on children's appearance and body dissatisfaction, respectively. The self-administered eating frequency questionnaire was used to investigate children's eating behaviours. Body dissatisfaction in girls mediated associations between BMI, parental teasing, parental injustice and ignorance, parental encouragement and healthy eating behaviour: BMI → body dissatisfaction → healthy eating behaviour, parental teasing → body dissatisfaction → healthy eating behaviour, parental injustice and ignorance → body dissatisfaction → healthy eating behaviour, parental encouragement → body dissatisfaction → healthy eating behaviour. Parental injustice and ignorance directly and negatively predicted healthy eating behaviour in girls. In boys and girls, parental teasing was a direct predictor factor of unhealthy eating behaviour. Parental teasing, parental injustice and ignorance, parental encouragement, and BMI through body dissatisfaction positively predicted healthy eating behaviour in girls, parental injustice and ignorance directly negatively predicted healthy eating behaviour in girls, and parental teasing directly positively predicted unhealthy eating behaviour in girls and boys. Therefore, parental pressure on children's appearance may pay important role in children's eating behaviours.

Parental stresses are normal responses to raising children. They are affected by stresses parents and children accumulate and bring to their interrelations. Background factors like economic difficulties or the relations between the parents may affect parental stresses as well as demographic and environmental factors like noise and access to urban parks. Most studies on parental stress are based on a verified psychological questionnaire. We suggest using frequency domain heart rate variability index (HRV) to measure parental stress enabling, by thus, the measurement of physiological aspects of stress and risk to health. Parental stress is measured as the difference between HRV accumulated at home while staying with the children and without the husband and HRV measured in the neighborhood while staying without the children and the husband. We use the index to compare differences among Muslim and Jewish mothers in exposure to maternal stress at their homes and to expose the factors that predict differences in maternal stress. We found that Muslim mothers suffer from home-related maternal stress while Jewish mother do not. Number of children and ethnically related environmental aspects predict differences in maternal stress between Muslim and Jewish mothers. Muslims’ lower access to parks stems from lack of home garden and parks in their neighborhoods in the Arab towns but mainly by restrictions on Muslim mothers’ freedom of movement to parks. Despite differences in levels of noise at home and in the status of the mother in the household, these factors did not predict differences in maternal stress. Instead, the study highlights the crucial role of greenery and freedom of movement to parks in moderating home-related maternal stress.

Abstract Stress and social support are relevant variables for understanding the impact of disability on the care relationship. Thus, this study investigates the association between the parental stress index, social support indicators, and the sociodemographic variables of caregivers of children with cerebral palsy in a capital city of the Eastern Amazon. The following instruments were applied to 100 caregivers: the Sociodemographic Inventory, the Gross Motor Function Classification System, the Parenting Stress Index, and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. For data analysis, descriptive statistics were used, in addition to techniques of multivariate analysis. It was found that most participants had high parental stress and a high perception of social support. Specific aspects of the perception of social support and sociodemographic indicators were associated with stress. This knowledge favors the design of more assertive interventions because it outlines the aspects of these variables that appear to have a more effective impact on parental stress. Resumen El estrés y el soporte social son relevantes para comprenderse el impacto de la deficiencia en la relación del cuidado. En ese sentido, investígase la asociación del índice de estrés paternal e indicadores de soporte social y variables sociodemográficas de cuidadores de niños con parálisis cerebral en una capital de Amazonia Oriental. Cien cuidadores contestaron los instrumentos: Inventario sociodemográfico, Sistema de Clasificación de Función Motora Gruesa, Índice de Estrés Paternal y Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Para el análisis de los datos, se utilizó la estadística descriptiva con técnicas de análisis multivariadas. Verificase que la mayoría de los participantes presentaron alto nível de estrés paternal y alta percepción de soporte social. Aspectos específicos de la percepción de soporte social y de indicadores sociodemográficos estaban asociados al estrés. Este conocimiento favorece la planificación de intervenciones más asertivas, una vez que delinea qué aspectos de estas variables parecen impactar más efectivamente el estrés paternal. Resumo O estresse e o suporte social são variáveis relevantes para se compreender o impacto da deficiência na relação de cuidado. Neste sentido, este estudo investigou a existência de associação entre o índice de estresse parental e indicadores de suporte social e variáveis sociodemográficas de cuidadores de crianças com paralisia cerebral em uma capital da Amazônia Oriental. Cem cuidadores responderam aos instrumentos: Inventário sociodemográfico, Sistema de Classificação da Função Motora Grossa, Índice de Estresse Parental e Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. Para a análise dos dados, utilizou-se a estatística descritiva com técnicas de análises multivariadas. Verificou-se que a maioria dos participantes apresentou um alto estresse parental e a percepção de elevado suporte social. Aspectos específicos da percepção de suporte social e de indicadores sociodemográficos estiveram associados ao estresse. Este conhecimento favorece o planejamento de intervenções mais assertivas, pois delineia que aspectos parecem impactar mais efetivamente no estresse parental.

Parents of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and severe emotional dysregulation (ED) often experience trauma symptoms related to their child's behaviour, including aggression, self-injury and suicide attempts. These traumatic experiences can lead to parental posttraumatic stress symptoms, which are linked to heightened parental stress, reduced capacity for mentalisation, and difficulties co-regulating their child. These challenges have the potential to intensify pre-existing emotional dysregulation, thereby undermining the effectiveness of treatment for the adolescent. Nevertheless, child-related PTSD is rarely addressed in mental health services. This study aims to address this gap in mental health by examining the effects of trauma-focused treatment for these parents. This single-case design study involved seven parents (five mothers and two fathers) of six adolescents (aged 16-21) diagnosed with ASD and emotional dysregulation (ED). Parents received EMDR-therapy and were assessed weekly during a randomised baseline (3-5 weeks), treatment phase (4-6 weeks), post-intervention (3 weeks), and follow-ups at 6 weeks and 3 months. All parents showed a reduction of PTSD-symptoms after EMDR-therapy, with none of the parents meeting PTSD criteria after treatment and follow-up. A significant reduction in parental stress was reported by all parents at post-treatment and follow-up. Furthermore, five out of seven parents reported reduced ED in their adolescents after treatment, an effect maintained in three cases at follow-up. This study demonstrates the value of trauma-focused treatment for parents coping with PTSD as a result of exposure to child-related traumatic events. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the possible nature of parental stress in parents of adolescents with severe ED, as well as how this can be effectively addressed. The results support the hypothesis that when parents feel emotionally regulated, they may exhibit increased engagement and support for their adolescents' treatment, potentially leading to improved treatment outcomes.

Parenting stress has been related to adverse health outcomes in parents, children, and their families. This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of parental, child, and situational factors related to parenting stress in mothers and fathers. We searched Embase, Medline Epub (Ovid), PsychInfo (Ovid), Web of Science, and Google scholar for studies published between January 1980 and May 2021 evaluating the association between at least one factor and parenting stress. Studies were included only if they reported the association in a general population sample of mothers and fathers with children aged 0–12 years. The parent–child relationship model by Abidin guided the data synthesis. Quality of the evidence was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a variety of fields. In total, 29 studies were included with excellent quality (55%), good (31%), and adequate (14%) methodological quality. There was evidence of an association between maternal depression, child overall problems, child externalizing and internalizing problems, social support, maternal educational level and maternal parenting stress. Evidence was inconsistent for an association between maternal anxiety, family income and maternal parenting stress. There was no evidence of an association for maternal age, child sex and maternal parenting stress. Several modifiable factors (i.e., parental depression and social support) were identified that might guide the development of preventive interventions. Future research should employ longitudinal study designs evaluating protective and risk factors and the pathways that lead to parenting stress, among both fathers and mothers.

Parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic is highly challenging, with parents having to meet various demands simultaneously. An increase in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) has been widely predicted, but empirical evidence is still scarce. This study aimed to (1) generate representative data on pandemic-related stress, parental stress, general stress, parental subjective and mental health, and the occurrence of ACEs; (2) identify risk factors for an increase in ACEs, and (3) provide qualitative data on parents’ experiences. A representative survey was conducted in Germany in August 2020 with 1024 parents of underage children (Mage = 41.70, 50.9% female). More than 50% of parents reported being stressed by social distancing and the closure of schools and childcare facilities. Parental stress increased significantly during the pandemic (d = 0.21). Subgroups of parents also reported very high levels of depressive symptoms (12.3%) and anxiety (9.7%). Up to one-third of the sample reported ACEs in the child’s lifetime. In this group, 29.1% reported an increase in children witnessing domestic violence during the pandemic, and 42.2% an increase verbal emotional abuse. These families were characterized by higher parental stress, job losses, and younger parent and child age. Positive aspects of the pandemic related primarily to personal or family life (e.g. slower pace of life, increase in family time). While some parents coped well, a particularly negative pattern was observed in a subgroup of families that experienced an increase in ACEs. Parental stress emerged as important target point for interventions addressing the negative sequelae of the pandemic.