The purpose of this study was to examine effects of paternal depression, marital relationship, and parenting style on problem behaviors in young children. Subjects of this study were 563 fathers who had 3-5 aged children attending 6 kindergartens and ...
The purpose of this study was to examine effects of paternal depression, marital relationship, and parenting style on problem behaviors in young children. Subjects of this study were 563 fathers who had 3-5 aged children attending 6 kindergartens and 6 child care centers located in Cheongju city. Data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, Cronbach's α, t-test, F-test, Tukey post-hoc test, Pearson's correlation through using SPSS 12.0 program, and path model was analyzed by using AMOS 7.0 program.
The results of this study were as follows:
First, girls showed more internalizing problem behavior than Children showed more externalizing and internalizing problem behavior when their father's age was under 35 years old than over 41 years old.
Second, paternal depression had a direct effect on parenting style and externalizing & internalizing problem behaviors in boys. Father's marital relationship influenced directly on positive parenting style for boys. Boy's externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors were mediated by father's positive parenting style while father's negative parenting style had mediated on boy's externalizing behavior only.
Third, father's positive parenting style had a direct effect on boys' externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors while father's negative parenting style had a direct effect on boys' externalizing problem behavior only. Also, father's depression and marital relationship influenced indirectly on boys' externalizing problem behavior which was mediated by father's positive parenting style while negative parenting style did on boys' internalizing behavior problem.
Fourth, paternal depression had a direct effect on negative parenting style and externalizing & internalizing problem behaviors in girls. Father's marital relationship influenced directly on positive parenting style for girls. Girls' externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors were mediated by father's positive and negative parenting style.
Fifth, father's positive parenting style had a direct effect on girls' externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. Also, father's depression influenced indirectly on girls' externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors which was mediated by father's negative parenting style. Father's marital relationship influenced indirectly on girls' externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors which was mediated by father's positive parenting style.
In conclusion, for the relative influence that paternal depression, marital relationship, parenting style had on problem behaviors in young children, paternal depression appeared to be the most important determinant, that is, paternal depression appeared to be the most impact on young children's problem behaviors.