Narrative Inquiry of Social Conflict and Parenting Stress Experienced by Parents with Young Children

Objectives This study aims to conduct a qualitative investigation into the social conflict and parenting burden experienced by parents of young children, in response to the emergence of social perceptions that express negative views on parenting behaviors of parents raising young children. Methods For this purpose, a total of eight mothers and fathers with young children were selected as research participants, and three rounds of semi-structured individual interviews were conducted. The interview data were recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed using narrative research methods. Results First, the research participants experience social conflict during the process of parenting, leading to emotional difficulties. Second, they perceive social conflicts as arising from modern societal phenomena, young children, and parents themselves. Third, it has been revealed that the participants desire collaborative parenting through social support. Conclusions It appears necessary to develop realistic measures for improving sociocultural perceptions and providing parenting support to reduce the social conflict and parenting burden experienced by parents of young children.