Abstract

The purpose of this study was intended to investigate the impact of the stress coping style and parenting stress on the subjective well-being in mothers with mentally retarded children. One hundred and fifteen mothers with mentally retarded children were studied using a questionnaire package, composed of questionnaire on resources and stress-F (QRS-F), the ways of coping checklist, satisfaction with life scale (SWLS), and positive and negative affect scale (PANAS). And self reports of the subjects were statistically analyzed with the method of hierarchical multiple regression. The stress coping style predicted 23.3% of satisfaction with life and the parenting stress was 10.9%. The stress coping style predicted 17.3% of the positive affect and the parenting stress was 1%. And the stress coping style predicted 7.5% of the negative affect and the parenting stress was 7.6%. These findings suggest the stress coping style and parenting stress have significant effects on the subjective well-being of mothers with the mentally retarded children. Implications and limitations of this study were also discussed. (Korean J Str Res 2006;14:9∼16)

• Keywords: Stress coping style, Parenting stress, Subjective well-being, Mothers with mentally retarded children;