Influences of Mothers’ Parenting Attitude, Parenting Efficacy, and Stress Levels on Children’s Social Skills

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the influences of mohers’ parenting attitude, parenting efficacy, and stress
levels on children’s social skills. A total of 117 mothers rearing 4–7-year-old children were included in this
study. Data were collected using as elf-administered questionnaire from November 13 to 26, 2011. Collected
data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 20.0 program with descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis
of variance (scheffetestforpost-hoc), Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regressions. Mothers’ parenting
attitude (permission) and efficacy were positively correlated, whereas mothers’ stress level was negatively
correlated with children’s social skills. Children’s social skills were influenced by mothers’ parenting and
marital stress levels and children’s gender and birth order. In addition, mothers’ occupational so influences
children’s social skills. These results indicated that differences in gender and birth order should be considered
in providing interventions for mothers’ stress management.