The Role of Parenting Stress in Predicting Maternal Sensitivity and Caring Quality

The purpose of study was investigating the role of different aspects of parenting stress in two domains of child and mother in predicting maternal sensitivity and maternal caregiving quality. The method was correlation and for this purpose, 41 mother of 3 to 5 aged child dyad, were selected from 4 nursery schools. The mother- child dyad relationship were observed by Q-sort maternal behavior method for assessing maternal sensitivity and their interaction were coded, also the mothers completed the caregiving quality and parenting stress questionnaires. The results showed the child characteristics of parenting stress, included acceptance and hyperactivity could predict the responsiveness and confusion of mother and the mother characteristics of parenting stress, included depression could predict her availability. Also, the hyperactivity of child and attachment of mother were two main predictors of maternal sensitivity. The findings consistent with attachment theory confirmed the important role of parenting stress in maternal behavior expression.