The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of parenting efficacy
measured at 6 months of infancy, and on parenting stress at 9-months of
infancy through a short-term longitudinal approach. Participants were 116
couples living in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, whose first born children were in
infancy. The results of the 116 couples were analyzed through the APIM
analysis method. The results of the APIM showed that mothers’and fathers’
actor effect was significant, which meant that parenting efficacy at 6 months of
infancy could predict the existence of parenting stress at 9 months of infancy.
However, the partner effect of both mothers and fathers was insignificant. This
research demonstrates the significance of parenting efficacy at early infancy,
which in turn affects parenting stress as well as factors that need to be
considered in pre-parental education.