Fathers’ Economic Stress, Depression, and Coping with Children’s Negative Emotion: Effects on Preschoolers’ Problem Behavior

Overview

This study examined the mechanisms through which paternal economic stress affects preschoolers' problem behaviors, utilizing Conger's Family Stress Model as the theoretical framework. The research addressed a gap in the literature regarding fathers' psychological and parenting mechanisms in early childhood development by analyzing the pathways connecting economic stress, paternal depression, emotion-related parenting practices, and behavioral outcomes in children aged 3-5.

Methods and approach

The study employed a sample of 233 South Korean fathers with preschool-aged children (3-5 years). Data collection relied on self-report questionnaires assessing four primary constructs: paternal economic stress, depressive symptoms, paternal responses to children's negative emotions (both supportive and unsupportive), and children's problem behaviors. The analytical approach examined both direct and indirect pathways through mediation analysis.

Key Findings

Paternal economic stress demonstrated significant indirect effects on children's problem behaviors through fathers' depression. A sequential mediation pathway emerged wherein economic stress influenced depressive symptoms, which subsequently led to unsupportive emotional responses to children's negative emotions, culminating in increased problem behaviors. Supportive emotional responses did not function as a significant mediator in this relationship.

Implications

The findings underscore the role of paternal psychological distress as a mechanism linking economic stress to adverse behavioral outcomes in early childhood. The pattern of unsupportive emotional responding appears to amplify the negative effects of economic stress on child behavior, suggesting that interventions targeting fathers' emotional regulation and coping strategies may be particularly efficacious. These results support the necessity of father-focused parenting education and psychological support programs that address both economic stress management and emotional competence to enhance family resilience and promote developmental outcomes during the preschool period.