[Factors leading to parenting-strain in mothers with young children].

In order to highlight factors leading to problems in parenting, a survey of 450 mothers with children aged three or younger was conducted. Data from 370 respondents who completed the questionnaire were used for the analysis. The results were as follows: 1) From factor analysis, a concept of parenting-strain was formed comprising: a) anxiety about children and child-raising; b) irritation towards the children; c) feelings of burden or denial; d) feelings of discontent or insufficiency. 2) The results from multiple regression analysis were as follows: a) Feelings of burder or denial, feelings of discontent or insufficiency in working mothers were significantly lower than those in the housewives. b) Anxiety about children and child-raising, irritation towards the children, and feelings of discontent or insufficiency were negatively associated with a positive image towards the family where the mothers themselves had been raised. c) Received support from the husband lowered feelings of burden or denial, feelings of discontent or insufficiency with statistical significance.