Relationship between dimensions of parental behavior and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress in parents

Roditeljstvo je vrlo kompleksan pojam koji se često ne može jednoznačno definirati s obzirom na širok spektar obaveza i izazova koje uključuje. Unatoč tome što se neki određeni oblici roditeljskog ponašanja mijenjaju i prilagođavaju zbog samih promjena u dječjem razvoju, istraživanja upućuju na stabilnu strukturu roditeljskih ponašanja. Ta ponašanja se najčešće opisuju pomoću nekoliko dimenzija, među kojima se izdvajaju emocionalnost te psihološka i bihevioralna kontrola, a pomoću njih se roditeljstvo može svrstati u nekoliko različitih stilova. Jedan od prvih autora koji je pokušao svrstati i opisati razne faktore koji utječu na stil i kvalitetu roditeljstva je Belsky te se u njegovom Procesnom modelu determinanti roditeljskog ponašanja navode tri skupine odrednica koje određuju roditeljsko funkcioniranje. To su kao prvo karakteristike roditelja u koje spada razvojna povijest, ličnost i psihopatologija. Zatim navodi i karakteristike djeteta kao npr. spol, dob i temperament te kontekstualne faktore koji mogu biti izvori podrške i stresa, u koje spadaju i posao, bračni odnos i socijalna mreža. Belsky naglašava kako je ključno razlikovati utjecaje na roditeljstvo od posljedica koje roditeljstvo ima na dijete. Stoga se navodi da, između ostalog, individualne karakteristike roditelja, pa time i roditeljska psihopatologija, mogu značajno utjecati na samo roditeljstvo. Prema tome, cilj istraživanja je bio ispitati povezanost između dimenzija roditeljskog ponašanja (roditeljska podrška, restriktivna kontrola i popustljivost) i simptoma depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa kod majki i očeva te ispitati razlike u navedenim varijablama s obzirom na spol. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 225 roditelja, od kojih 118 majki te 107 očeva. Istraživanje je provedeno pomoću papir-olovka upitnika te se koristio Upitnik roditeljskog ponašanja (URP29) i Skala depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa (DASS). Utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika u dimenziji Roditeljske podrške između majki i očeva, odnosno, majke izvještavaju o većem stupnju roditeljske podrške od očeva. Nije utvrđena značajna razlika između majki i očeva u dimenziji Restriktivne kontrole, niti u dimenziji Popustljivosti. Utvrđena je značajna razlika u doživljaju stresa; očevi su izvještavali o većem doživljaju stresa nego majke. Za simptome depresivnosti i anksioznosti nije dobivena razlika. Nadalje, utvrđena je niska do umjerena negativna povezanost simptoma depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa i dimenzije Roditeljske podrške, te i niska do umjerena pozitivna povezanost simptoma depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa i dimenzije Restriktivne kontrole. Nije utvrđena značajna povezanost dimenzije Popustljivosti sa navedenim simptomima.Parenting is a very complex term that often cannot be uniquely defined given the wide range of responsibilities and challenges it involves. Although some specific forms of parental behavior change and adapt due to the changes in children's development, research indicates a stable structure of parental behaviors. These behaviors are most commonly described using several dimensions, among which emotionality stands out, along with psychological and behavioral controls, by which parenting can be categorized into several different styles. One of the first authors that attempt to categorize and describe various factors that influence parenting style and quality is Belsky. In The determinants of parenting: A process model, he list three sets of factors that determine parental functioning. These are firstly characteristics of parents that include developmental history, personality and psychopathology. Then he outlines the characteristics of the child, such as gender, age and temperament, as well as contextual factors that can be sources of support and stress, including work, marital relationship and the social network. Belsky emphasizes that it is crucial to distinguish the effects on parenting from the effects that parenting has on the child. Therefore, it is stated that, among other factors, the individual characteristics of parents, including parental psychopathology, can significantly influence parenting itself. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the association between aspects of parental behaviour (Parental Support, Restrictive Control and Permissiveness) and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in mothers and fathers and to examine gender differences in these variables. The study involved 225 parents, including 118 mothers and 107 fathers. The study was conducted using a paper-pen questionnaire and used the Parental Behavior Questionnaire (URP29) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). A statistically significant difference in the dimension of Parental Support was found between mothers and fathers, that is, mothers reported higher levels of parental support than fathers. No significant difference was found between mothers and fathers in the Restrictive Control dimension, nor in the Permissiveness. A significant difference was found in the experience of stress; fathers reported greater stress than mothers. No difference was obtained for symptoms of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, a low to moderate negative association between depression, anxiety and stress symptoms and the Parental Support dimension was found, and a low to moderate positive association between depression, anxiety and stress symptoms and the Restrictive Control dimension. No significant correlation was found between the Permissiveness dimension and these symptoms