2016 Gatlinburg Conference Poster
PS-72
Title: Toddler Externalizing Behavior, Social Support and Parenting Stress
Authors: Laura E. Murphy, Kriston B. Schellinger, Rebekah L. Hudock, Julie E. Ritter, Mingjuan Wang, J. Carolyn Graff, Frances A.
Tylavsky
Introduction: While child externalizing behavior problems such as aggressiveness and overactivity are typical during the toddler
years, high levels of externalizing behaviors are stressful to parents and place them at risk for depression, intimate partner
discord, and low parenting self-esteem (Lee, Lee, & August, 2011; Suarez & Baker, 1997). However for those experiencing stress,
social support has been associated with improved well-being (Lee et al., 2011; Schoefield et al., 2012). Although the benefits of
social support are known, there is limited research on the impact of social support for parents of toddlers who are experiencing
high levels of parenting stress. This study examined the possible moderating role of social support on the association between
child externalizing behavior and parenting stress in a sample of typically developing 24-month-olds and their parents.
Methods: Data were obtained as part of the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early childhood
study, a large longitudinal study exploring factors related to early childhood development. In total, complete data were available
from1079 participants. Mean maternal age was 29.52 years (SD = 5.51, range = 18.4 - 43.6 years) and the average child age was
24.98 months (SD = 1.49, range = 21.6- 30.5 months). Generalized linear modeling was used to examine the relation between
child externalizing behavior (measured with the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment), social support (measured
with the Social Support Questionnaire - 6) and parenting stress (measured with the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form).
Additionally, social support was explored as a potential moderator of the relation between child behavior and parenting stress.
Results: Nonparametric analyses (Kruskal-Wallis and Man-Whitney U tests) detected a significant relation between parenting
stress and three demographic variables: maternal marital status, maternal education, and insurance type. Thus, these variables
were all included in the model. However, maternal marital status and insurance type did not yield significant effects in the
model; therefore, they were not included in the final model. Additionally, the interaction term was not significant and was thus
removed from the final model. However, maternal education (t = 2.44, p < .05), child externalizing behavior (t = 10.27, p < .001),
and social support (t = -8.80, p < .001) were all significant in the final model. Results suggest that mothers who have more than a
high school education report less parenting stress. Additionally, lower levels of child behavior concerns and higher levels of social
support were associated with lower levels of parenting stress. However, social support did not moderate the relation between
child externalizing behavior and parenting stress.
Discussion: Findings suggest that parents of typically developing toddlers with higher levels of externalizing behaviors who have
limited social support may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing parenting stress. This suggests that social support is
particularly important to parents of young children, and may be especially important if the child exhibits challenging behaviors.
Future research is needed to better understand how social support benefits parents of toddlers, especially those toddlers with
behavioral concerns.
References/Citations:
• Lee, C.S.. Lee, J., & August, G.J. (2011). Financial stress, parental depressive symptoms, parenting practices, and
children's externalizing problem behaviors: Underlying processes. Family Relations, 60, 476-490.
• Schoefield, T.J., Conger, R.D., Conger, K.J., Martin, M.J., Broday, G., Simons, R. & Cutrona, C. (2012). Neighborhood
disorder and children's antisocial behavior: The protective effect of family support among Mexican American and
African American families. American Journal of Community Psychology, 50, 101-113.
• Suarez, L.M., & Baker, B.L. (1997). Child externalizing behavior and parents' stress: The roles of social support. Family
Relations, 47, 373-381.