Child behavior problems and parenting stress in immigrant and single parent families with preschool children

The aim of this study was to examine the parenting stress and child behavior problems in single parent families and two-parent families, and new immigrant families and non-immigrant families with preschool children in Hong Kong. The participants included 130 single parents (100 non-immigrants, 30 new immigrants) and 987 two-parent families (732 non-immigrants, 255 new immigrants) with preschool children. They were requested to complete questionnaires on parenting stress and child behavior problems. After controlling for socioeconomic variables, single parent families reported more frequent child behavior problems, and were more worried about these, than two-parent families. They also reported higher parental distress, compared with two-parent families. New immigrant families reported higher parenting stress and they were more worried about their children's behavior problems, compared with non-immigrant families. The results indicated that the parenting stress and child behavior problems in single parent families and new immigrant families could not be entirely explained in terms of their socioeconomic disadvantage. Service strategies to meet the needs of these children and parents were discussed.