IntroductionResearch on parenting stress in adoptive parents during the early years post‐placement reveals significant variability, yet few studies examine both parent‐ and child‐related factors. This study investigates the role of the personality dimension of self‐criticism and perceived negative child emotionality in relation to parenting stress during the first four years after transnational adoption. Additionally, it explores the moderating effect of child age at placement, a key factor associated with early adversity.MethodsDrawing upon a longitudinal five‐wave dataset in the first 4 years after the child arrived in the adoptive family, this study used multi‐informant data of 96 adoptive mothers and fathers of transnationally adopted children (mean child age at placement = 13.48 months). Data were analyzed using a multilevel structural equation modeling approach.ResultsParents' self‐criticism was positively associated with parenting stress at the between‐parent level. At the within‐parent level, year‐to‐year fluctuations in both parents' self‐criticism and perceived child's negative emotionality were positively associated with corresponding fluctuations in parenting stress. Child age at placement did not moderate any of these associations.ConclusionsOverall, this study yielded convincing evidence for the dynamic nature of parenting stress in the first years after child placement, the role of parental self‐criticism, and the child's perceived negative emotionality herein.

中文翻译：

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了解养父母的育儿压力：父母自我批评、儿童消极情绪和安置儿童年龄的纵向多层次研究


引言对收养父母在安置后早期的育儿压力的研究揭示了显着的可变性，但很少有研究同时检查父母和儿童相关因素。本研究调查了跨国收养后前四年自我批评的人格维度和感知到的消极儿童情绪与养育压力的关系。此外，它还探讨了儿童安置年龄的调节作用，这是与早期逆境相关的一个关键因素。方法利用孩子到达收养家庭后前 4 年的纵向五波数据集，本研究使用了 96 名跨国收养儿童的养母和父亲的多信息提供者数据 （安置时的平均儿童年龄 = 13.48 个月）。使用多级结构方程建模方法分析数据。结果父母的自我批评与父母之间层面的育儿压力呈正相关。在父母内部层面，父母自我批评和感知到的孩子负面情绪的年际波动与育儿压力的相应波动呈正相关。儿童安置时的年龄并未调节任何这些关联。结论总体而言，这项研究为儿童安置后最初几年育儿压力的动态性质、父母自我批评的作用以及孩子感知到的消极情绪提供了令人信服的证据。