The Moderating Role of Parent–Grandparent Co-Parenting in Parental Stress and Mental Health

Abstract

In China, parent–grandparent co-parenting plays a key role in family dynamics. This study examined whether the parent–grandparent co-parenting relationship moderates associations between parental stress (parenting expectations stress and work-related stress) and mental health outcomes (well-being, anxiety, and depression). Data were collected from 306 Chinese parents (M_age = 34.90 years, SD = 5.91). Path analysis revealed that co-parenting relationship moderated these effects, including reducing the negative impacts of work-related stress on anxiety and parenting expectations stress on well-being. Multi-group analyses showed differences by only-child status. Among non-only-child parents, the interaction between parenting expectations stress and co-parenting relationship in predicting depression was significant. For both only-child parents and one-sided only-child parents, the moderating effect of co-parenting relationship on the link between work-related stress and well-being was pronounced. These findings highlight the dual stress of parenting expectations and work-related, and the protective role of grandparents’ co-parenting, especially in families lacking sibling-based caregiving networks.

Keywords

the only-child status parent–grandparent co-parenting relationship parental stress mental health outcomes

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