Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-2006

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Cheryl Buehler

Committee Members

Brian K. Barber, John G. Orme, Michael Lane Morris

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among work stress, parental self-efficacy, ineffective parenting behavior, and youth problem behaviors. Questionnaires were collected from 297 families assessing parent perceptions of work stress and parental self-efficacy; youth perceptions of ineffective parenting behavior; and parent, youth, and teacher perceptions of youth internalizing and externalizing problem behavior. There was evidence of work to family spillover, in that work stress (mothers’ work-family conflict and fathers’ job dissatisfaction) was linked to diminished parental self-efficacy and increased ineffective parenting behaviors, which in turn, were associated with higher levels of youth internalizing and externalizing problem behavior. Additionally, lower mothers’ parental self-efficacy was directly related to youth externalizing problem behavior, and lower fathers’ parental self-efficacy was directly related to youth internalizing and externalizing problem behavior. Finally, higher work-family conflict for fathers was directly associated with youth internalizing problem behavior. The discussion included a suggestion of the implementation of workplace parenting and family support strategies which could increase parental self-efficacy and decrease the use of ineffective parenting.

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