Abstract

This study examined how parental burnout influences behavioral problems in preschool-aged children through mothers’ use of adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and rejective parenting attitudes. Data were collected via an online survey from 400 mothers raising children aged 3-5 years. The main findings of this study are as follows. First, significant correlations were found between parental burnout, internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems in preschool children, mothers’ adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and rejective parenting attitudes. Second, although mothers’ adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies did not directly affect the relationship between parental burnout and children's internalizing behavioral problems, a sequential double mediation effect was observed for rejective parenting attitudes. Third, regarding the relationship between parental burnout and externalizing behavioral problems, both adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies and rejective parenting attitudes demonstrated significant double mediation effects. This study discusses these findings significance, implications, and limitations.