Parenting Stress among Dual- and Single-Earner Families : The Interaction Effect of Marital Relationship and Father's Child-Rearing Involvement on the Parenting Stress

맞벌이 가구와 남성홀벌이 가구 부모의 양육스트레스 연구 : 부부관계와 아버지 양육참여의 상호작용 효과 분석

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of marital relationship on parenting stress among dual- and single-earner families. In particular, this study focuses on the interaction effect of marital relationship and father's child-rearing involvement on the parenting stress. To access factors associated with parenting stress, we included marital satisfaction and marital conflict as the dimensions of marital relationship in this study. Method: We employed data from the 5th wave of the Panel Study of Korean Children(PSKC) data. Our analysis sample consisted of 1,515 parents having at least one child aged under 4 years. Also, this study conducted descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. Results: First of all, marital satisfaction and marital conflict were significantly related to parenting stress for both mother and father in dual-earner families. While both indicators were significantly related to parenting stress for father, marital conflict only was a significant predictor for mother in single-earner families. Second, father involvement was a significant predictor for parenting stress for father in both dual- and single-earner families. Third, interaction effects were found between father involvement and marital conflict in the dual-earner families and between father involvement and marital satisfaction in the single-earner families. Conclusions: Based on the results, we recommended programs designed to enhance father's child-rearing involvement such as parenting education and community-based campaign. In addition, we recommended that policy and practice need to identify marital relationship dynamics to promote father's involvement and to reduce marital conflict in both dual- and single-earner families accordingly.