The effect of parental mentalization on parental stress: Co-parenting as a moderator

The aim of the current study is to examine the moderator role of co-parenting in the relationship between parental mentalization and parental stress in early childhood. For this purpose, 345 mothers with children aged 0-6 participated in the study. Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire was used to in order to measure parental mentalization, Parental Stress Index to measure parental stress, the Parenting Alliance Inventory to measure co-parenting, and the Beck Depression Inventory to measure mothers' depression level. Demographic Information Form was used to gain general imformation about participants. After data cleaning, socio-demographic data were analyzed using Independent Sample t Test, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney U Test. Correlation Analysis and two-factor analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used for hypotheses testing. The sub-dimensions of parental mentalization are divided into two groups as low and high; co-parenting variable was divided into three groups as low, medium and high level co-parenting. According to the findings, it was found that parental mentalization -pre-mentalization modes, certainty about mental states, interest and curiosity in mental states- and co-parenting level had a significant main effect on parental stress in the analysis that is controlled for mothers' age and depression level. Controlling for mothers' age and depression levels, the interaction between the sub-dimensions of parental mentalization and co-parenting did not have a significant effect on parental stress. This result shows that the effect of parental mentalization sub-dimensions on parenting stress does not differ according to co-parenting levels. The findings obtained as a result of the research were discussed within the framework of the literature.