Parenting stress and its relationship to child health care.

This study examined the relationship between the level of parental stress (Parenting Stress Index) experienced by mothers of children during their child's second year of life and the frequency and appropriateness of the health care they obtained for their child. No systematic relationships were found between the amount or medical necessity of the pediatric health care obtained in relation to maternal stress for this largely middle class population. Contrary to clinical folklore, these mothers were able to appropriately separate their decision making regarding seeking health care for their children from their stress level.