Parenting stress among adolescent mothers in the transition to adulthood

This study assessed the existence and nature of parenting stress among 187 adolescent mothers over a period of two and one half years across their eldest child's preschool years. Although the majority of mothers did not report elevated levels of stress, approximately thirty percent of the sample reported clinically high levels of stress at any one of the six measurement points. Criticism from a parent regarding their childrearing and intimate partner violence were both found to be related to perceptions of parenting stress. Implications for practice, including the use of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) as a clinical screening tool, are noted.