Work–Family Conflict, Parental Mental Health, and Children’s Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties

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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Work–family conflict (WFC) is a common stressor for working parents and has been associated with poorer child adjustment. However, the mechanisms linking WFC to young children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties remain insufficiently understood. This study examined whether parental mental health mediates the association between WFC and children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties in early childhood. Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in Portugal with 313 parents of children aged 18–72 months. Parents completed validated self-report measures of WFC, parental stress, depressive symptoms, parental self-efficacy, and children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were performed, testing children’s age (toddlers vs. preschool-aged) as a moderator. Results: Higher WFC was associated with greater emotional and behavioral difficulties in children (parents reported). This association was fully mediated by parental stress and depressive symptoms, whereas parental self-efficacy did not show a significant mediating effect. The indirect pathways were consistent across children’s age groups. Conclusions: The findings indicate that WFC may affect young children’s adjustment, primarily through its impact on parental psychological distress. Supporting parental mental health and reducing WFC may be key targets for early prevention and intervention.
Funding Information
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UIDB/05380/2025)

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