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Perceived Parenting History and Current Parenting Attitudes: Examining Maternal Stress and Depression as Mediators

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Journal of Child and Family Studies
Authors:
Megan Baumgardner at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Megan Baumgardner
Heidi Stolz at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Heidi Stolz
Rebecca G. Renegar at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Rebecca G. Renegar
Jessica McCaig at University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Jessica McCaig
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Abstract and Figures

Patterns of parenting behaviors tend to persist across generations, but less is known about the associations between mothers’ perceived histories of parenting and their current parenting attitudes. The present study examined stress and depression as potential mechanisms through which mothers’ perceived histories of maternal and paternal support and psychological control may be associated with their current parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction. Participants were 192 mothers of infants who participated in early home visiting services. Participants reported on their mothers’ and fathers’ use of support and psychological control during childhood, as well as their own current levels of stress and depression. Two months later, participants completed questionnaires assessing their parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction. Results indicated both direct and indirect associations between mothers’ perceived histories of parenting and their current parenting attitudes. Mothers’ perceptions of maternal support predicted higher parenting self-efficacy, and their perceptions of paternal psychological control predicted lower parenting satisfaction. Mothers’ experiences of depression fully mediated the associations between their perceptions of both maternal and paternal psychological control and their parenting satisfaction. Additionally, mothers’ experiences of stress and depression fully mediated the association between their perceptions of paternal psychological control and their parenting self-efficacy. Our findings highlight stress and depression as potential underlying mechanisms in the association between mothers’ early parenting experiences and their current parenting attitudes. Preventive interventions targeting parenting behaviors during childhood and mothers’ emotional experiences during their transition to parenthood may promote more positive parenting attitudes.
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Journal of Child and Family Studies (2022) 31:1880–1893
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-022-02240-1
ORIGINAL PAPER
Perceived Parenting History and Current Parenting Attitudes:
Examining Maternal Stress and Depression as Mediators
Megan Baumgardner 1●Heidi E. Stolz 2●Rebecca G. Renegar 2●Jessica L. McCaig 2●Siera J. Reimnitz 2
Accepted: 15 January 2022 / Published online: 2 February 2022
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022
Abstract
Patterns of parenting behaviors tend to persist across generations, but less is known about the associations between mothers’
perceived histories of parenting and their current parenting attitudes. The present study examined stress and depression as
potential mechanisms through which mothers’perceived histories of maternal and paternal support and psychological
control may be associated with their current parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction. Participants were 192 mothers of infants
who participated in early home visiting services. Participants reported on their mothers’and fathers’use of support and
psychological control during childhood, as well as their own current levels of stress and depression. Two months later,
participants completed questionnaires assessing their parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction. Results indicated both direct
and indirect associations between mothers’perceived histories of parenting and their current parenting attitudes. Mothers’
perceptions of maternal support predicted higher parenting self-efficacy, and their perceptions of paternal psychological
control predicted lower parenting satisfaction. Mothers’experiences of depression fully mediated the associations between
their perceptions of both maternal and paternal psychological control and their parenting satisfaction. Additionally, mothers’
experiences of stress and depression fully mediated the association between their perceptions of paternal psychological
control and their parenting self-efficacy. Our findings highlight stress and depression as potential underlying mechanisms in
the association between mothers’early parenting experiences and their current parenting attitudes. Preventive interventions
targeting parenting behaviors during childhood and mothers’emotional experiences during their transition to parenthood
may promote more positive parenting attitudes.
Keywords Intergenerational transmission of parenting ●Parenting self-efficacy ●Parenting satisfaction ●Psychological
control ●Depression
Highlights
●Stress and depression are potential mechanisms in the association between early parenting experiences and mothers’
current parenting attitudes.
●Maternal support predicted higher parenting self-efficacy, and paternal psychological control predicted lower parenting
satisfaction.
●Maternal depression mediated associations between maternal and paternal psychological control and parenting
satisfaction.
●Maternal stress and depression mediated the association between paternal psychological control and parenting self-
efficacy.
A growing body of research has demonstrated similarities in
patterns of parenting across generations (Belsky et al., 2009;
Van Ijzendoorn, 1992). Parenting experiences during
childhood may contribute to mothers’own parenting atti-
tudes and shape the ways in which they interact with their
children. Extant research provides strong evidence for the
intergenerational transmission of parenting behaviors
*Megan Baumgardner
mbaumga5@vols.utk.edu
1Department of Psychology, The University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, TN, USA
2Department of Child and Family Studies, The University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
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