Actor–Partner Interdependence Between Parenting Perfectionism and Parental Stress Among Chinese Parents Over Time

Abstract

In contemporary society, parents have become obsessive on achieving “perfection” in preparing their children to succeed in the competitive environment. However, the personal and inter-spousal relationships between parenting perfectionism and parental stress among Chinese couples over time have been largely overlooked in the academic literature. Additionally, the moderating effect of marital satisfaction on these relationships remains unclear. Based on a sample of 642 Chinese couples with adolescent children in Grades 7 and 8 at Time 1, Actor–Partner Interdependent Modeling (APIM) analyses were conducted to assess the patterns of father–mother interdependence in the associations of parenting perfectionism (adaptive and maladaptive) with parental stress over time, as well as the moderating role of marital satisfaction in the relationships. The findings indicated that mother-reported maladaptive parenting perfectionism was positively associated with both paternal and maternal stress over time. An actor-only pattern was identified in the association of maladaptive parenting perfectionism with maternal stress, whereas a partner-only pattern was observed in the relationship between maladaptive parenting perfectionism and paternal stress. Moreover, father-perceived marital satisfaction strengthened these associations. These results offer valuable insights for family scholars and practitioners, underscoring the importance of examining the effects of parenting perfectionism on parental well-being. This understanding is crucial for exploring the dynamics of parenthood in the modern era.