The main purposes of this study were to analyze the moderating effect of parenting
knowledge in the relationship between socio-demographic factors and parenting style.
This study was conducted with the data from 'Panel Study Korean Children(2009).’
Among the original data, a sample of 1,637 mothers with infants ranged from 13 to 18
months old was selected. The results of this study were as follows. First, there were
significant differences in child's birth-order, mother's education level, and monthly
family income. Second, there was a statistically significant difference in the parenting
style of mothers in their parenting knowledge. That is, the mother with a high score
in parenting knowledge reported more positive parenting style. Lastly, the interaction
effects between socio-demographic variables and parenting knowledge on parenting
style were statistically significant only with the variables such as child’s birth-order
and mother’s education level. The mothers who cared for their first child and got a
high score in parenting knowledge showed the most desirable parenting style, and the
mothers whose educational level was under high school graduation and parenting
knowledge score was low reported the lowest score in parenting style. These results
suggest parenting knowledge should be subject-specifically provided as the differences
in socio-demographic variables.