Examining the mediating role of mothers' parenting attitudes in the relationship between mothers' marital satisfaction and the psychological problems they observe in their children

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of mothers' parenting styles on the impact of marital satisfaction among married mothers with at least one child on the mental health problems observed in their children. This study also examines whether marital satisfaction varies according to demographic variables. The study group consists of 509 married mothers with children selected using appropriate sampling methods. Research data were collected using the Marital Life Scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the Family Life and Child-Rearing Attitude Scale (PARI). Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 29.0 software. In addition, the Independent Samples t-Test and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to determine whether marital satisfaction and mental health problems observed in children differed according to various demographic variables. According to the research findings, mothers' marital satisfaction levels have been found to be a significant predictor of emotional problems, behavioral problems, and peer relationships, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which is used to identify mental health issues in children. However, they have been found to be a positive predictor of social behavior. The democratic and equality-recognizing attitude subdimension of the Family Life and Child-Rearing Attitude Scale (PARI) has been found to be a full mediator in the relationship between mothers' marital satisfaction and attention deficit and hyperactivity in children, and a partial mediator in the relationship between emotional problems, behavioral problems, peer problems, and social behavior. Similarly, the attitude of rejecting the role of housewife has played a full mediating role in the relationship between mothers' marital satisfaction and attention deficit and hyperactivity, and a partial mediating role in the relationship between behavioral problems, peer problems, and social behavior. However, the variable of mothers' marital satisfaction did not show a direct significant effect on attention deficit and hyperactivity in children, but this relationship emerged indirectly and negatively through parenting attitudes (especially democratic and equality-recognizing attitudes and rejection of the housewife role). The findings show that marital satisfaction has a significant and negative effect on emotional problems in children through democratic and egalitarian attitudes, and on behavioral and peer problems through both democratic and egalitarian attitudes and attitudes that reject the role of housewife. On the other hand, marital satisfaction has a significant and positive effect on social behavior through these two parenting attitudes. In analyses based on demographic variables, significant differences were found in the subdimensions of attention deficit and hyperactivity and emotional problems according to the child's gender and the family's income level. Significant differences were found in attention deficit and hyperactivity, emotional problems, and social behavior scores according to the mother's age category.