Socioeconomic disparities in burden, anxiety, and positivity among parents of preschool children

Abstract Background Child poverty leads to economic hardship and negatively affects child development, making parenting support essential. Although prior studies have focused on mothers, this study examined the association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and parenting emotions among both fathers and mothers. It explored whether communicative and critical health literacy (CCHL) can mitigate these parenting challenges. Methods A web survey was conducted in September 2023 with parents of children aged 3-6. SES was self-rated on a 5-point scale and divided into three groups. Parenting burden (from constraints and child behavior), anxiety (about parenting and child development), and positive feelings towards child-rearing were measured using Araki's Parenting Emotion Scale (21 items). Gender-stratified regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, education, employment status, and other factors. CCHL was included as a binary variable. Results Of the 1,171 responses (589 fathers, 582 mothers), 24.5% were low SES. Mothers scored higher than fathers in all domains (9.56-13.18 vs. 9.17-12.93). The low SES group reported greater burden (13.15), higher anxiety (11.97), and lower positivity (12.52). Among mothers, low SES was associated with greater burden from child behavior [β = 0.170, p = 0.001], and higher anxiety about development [β = 0.267, p < 0.001], and lower positivity [β= -0.282, p < 0.001]. In fathers, it was not significantly associated with burden from child behavior or positivity. When CCHL was added, the association between low SES and burden from constraints disappeared in fathers but not in mothers. CCHL partially mediated the association with anxiety in both genders and positivity in mothers. Conclusions Parenting burden, anxiety, and positive feelings differed by SES and gender. Enhancing CCHL may help reduce parenting-related anxiety, especially in low SES parents, but practical support is needed to alleviate the burden experienced by mothers. Key messages • Socioeconomic disparities were observed in parenting burden, anxiety, and positive feelings towards child-rearing, highlighting the need to support mothers with low SES. • While CCHL showed potential in reducing anxiety and enhancing positivity, it did not appear to alleviate the burden of caregiving or child-related stress among mothers.