Relationship Between Maternal Parenting Stress, Parenting Behavior, and Infant Language-Cognitive Development: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Childcare Leave and Social Support

Objectives: This study aims to explore the mediating effects of maternal parenting behaviors on the relationship between parenting stress and infants’ language and cognitive development. It also investigates the moderating effect of childcare leave and social support.Methods: Data pertaining to 547 mothers in the first wave of the Korean Early Childhood Education and Care Panel Study were utilized. The relationships among infants’ language-cognitive development, and mothers’ parenting stress, parenting behaviors, mothers’ social support, and use of childcare leave were examined. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0, and PROCESS Macro Models 1, 4, and 7 for moderating, mediating, and moderated mediation effects respectively.Results: The results showed that, first, mothers who utilized childcare leave exhibited higher levels of parenting behaviors than those who did not or could not use childcare leave. Second, the mothers’ parenting behaviors fully mediated the relationship between parenting stress and infants’ language and cognitive development. Higher parenting stress was associated with lower parenting behaviors, which, in turn, negatively affected the infants’ language and cognitive development. Moreover, the conditional indirect effect of social support for childcare on the relationship between parenting stress and parenting behavior was significant.Conclusion: This study explores the relationship between maternal parenting stress and children’s development, highlighting the importance of social support for parenting and childcare leave. It also emphasizes the need for inclusive policies targeting groups in the blind spots of current childcare policies.