Toddler Externalizing Behavior, Social Support, and Parenting Stress: Examining a Moderator Model

• Published date: 01 October 2020
• Author: Kriston B. Schellinger,Laura E. Murphy,Subashini Rajagopalan,Tamekia Jones,Rebekah L. Hudock,J. Carolyn Graff,Frederick B. Palmer,Frances A. Tylavsky
• Date: 01 October 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12478

K B. S University of California San Diego Health

L E. M, S R,  T J University of Tennessee

Health Science Center

R L. H University of Minnesota Medical Center

J. C G, F B. P,  F A. T University of Tennessee

Health Science Center

Toddler Externalizing Behavior, Social Support, and

Parenting Stress: Examining a Moderator Model

Objective: This study examined the possible

moderating role of social support on the associ-

ation between child externalizing behavior and

parenting stress in a cross-sectional sample of

typically developing toddlers and their mothers.

Background: Child externalizing behavior

problems often emerge during the toddler years

and are associated with increased parenting

stress. Familystress theory posits that resources

(e.g., social support) may buffer the effects of

stressors such as child behavior concerns. How-

ever, limited empirical research has examined

the impact of social support on parenting stress

in parents of typically developing toddlers.

Method: The sample included 1,036

mother–toddler dyads and was represen-

tative of the broader region in which the

research took place (59% African American,

58% married/cohabitating, 53% with high

school diploma). General linear models were

performed.

Results: The interaction term was not signi-

cant; therefore, a moderator model was not sup-

ported. However, the nal model demonstrated

that child behavior problems were associated

with higher levels of parenting stress; and lower

University of California San Diego Health

(kschellinger@ucsd.edu)

Key Words: child development, child externalizing behavior,

parenting stress, social support, toddlers.

levels of both amount of support and satisfaction

with social support were associated with addi-

tional increases in parenting stress.

Conclusion: Results suggest that parents who

have low levels of social support and a toddler

with higher levels of externalizing behaviors are

at particular risk for experiencing elevated lev-

els of parenting stress.

Implications: Given that externalizing behav-

iors are common during the toddler years, future

research is needed to better understand how

social support benets parents of toddlers and

to develop new or modify existing interventions

to increase social support and reduce parenting

stress.

The toddler years are a developmental period

associated with increases in externalizing

behaviors, such as tantrums, aggression, and

oppositional behavior (Alink et al., 2006; Holtz

et al., 2015; Williamson et al., 2013). Although

normative, these increases in behavior prob-

lems present daily challenges that may lead to

increases in parental stress. However, social

support may be an important resource for par-

ents experiencing stress as a result of their

child’s behavior (Arikan et al., 2019; Cherry

et al., 2019; Maguire-Jack & Wang, 2016;

Parkes & Sweeting, 2018). Therefore, the

purpose of this study was to examine the

relationship between toddler behavior concerns

and parenting stress, as well as the potential

714 Family Relations 69 (October 2020): 714–726

DOI:10.1111/fare.12478