The phenomenon of parenting stress: A review of foreign concepts

Abstract

The growing interest in the issue of parenting stress in Russia makes this problem relevant, whereas in foreign psychology this phenomenon has been developed for several decades. The analysis of foreign theoretical constructs of parenting stress allows us to assess the general understanding of this phenomenon, to see the similarities and differences of theories presented by foreign authors, as well as to apply a comprehensive approach to the study of this phenomenon in our country. The objective of the study is to analyze the main foreign theories and approaches to the phenomenon of parenting stress. The results: the research has revealed the two views on the nature, causes and consequences of the phenomenon under study, that harmoniously complement each other. The conclusions: parenting stress is the result of daily demands placed on the parent, of the expected resources, of the subjective perception of situations and children’s behavior, all of which are associated with the process of the child’s upbringing. Broken child-parent relations, behavioral patterns and the inability of the parent to accept the child’s personal characteristics are the consequences of parenting stress. The mental state of both the parent and the child deteriorates. The study has revealed that the interest of foreign researchers is shifting from the factors of parenting stress to its influence.