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The Curvilinear Relationship between Maternal-Parenting Stress and Adolescent Internalizing-Problems: Family Socioeconomic-Status and Adolescent Gender’s Moderating Roles

Xiaoting Hou1, Jingjing Zhao1, Yuxin Shi1, Yuhua Li2,*, Shufen Xing1,*
1 School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
2 College of Elementary Education, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China
* Corresponding Author: Yuhua Li. Email: email; Shufen Xing. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Family Risk Factors and Child & Adolescent Mental Health: Perspectives from the Chinese Cultural Context)

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2026.074010

Received 30 September 2025; Accepted 02 December 2025; Published online 02 February 2026

Abstract

Background: The growing parenting stress among Chinese mothers in recent years raises concerns about its impact on adolescent internalizing problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the curvilinear relationship between maternal parenting stress and internalizing problems in adolescents, and further explore the moderating effects of family socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescent gender. Methods: Data were collected from 405 mothers and adolescents (203 boys, Meanage = 12.23) across five cities (Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Shenzhen, and Shandong) in China, who completed self-report measures of maternal parenting stress and internalizing problems. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 27.0. Results: Multiple regression analyses indicated that the association between maternal parenting stress2 and adolescents’ internalizing problems was moderated by the interaction between gender and SES (b = −0.03, p < 0.01). Specifically, a significant U-shaped relationship was observed among high-SES boys (b = 0.12, t = 3.89, p < 0.001), with internalizing problems peaking at both low and high levels of maternal parenting stress, whereas the moderating effect of SES was not significant among girls. Conclusion: The study highlights that moderate maternal parenting stress is associated with lower internalizing problems among adolescents, particularly among high-SES boys, indicating that interventions should consider the optimal balance of parental stress and account for family socioeconomic and adolescent gender differences.

Keywords

Maternal parenting stress; internalizing problems; family socioeconomic status; gender

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