Factors Associated with Child-care Happiness Scores of Mothers by the Age of their Children

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors associated with scores on the Child-care Happiness Scale (CHS) among mothers of children at different health checkup ages.

Methods: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was sent to 1,011 mothers who visited health centers for a health checkup for their infants or children. The questionnaire included respondents’ basic attributes, fathers’ involvement in childcare and housework, mothers’ perception of fathers’ emotional support, parenting (3 areas), and mothers’ CHS scores (8 areas). Multiple linear regression was performed using mothers’ CHS scores as a dependent variable, according to child’s health checkup age.

Results: Of all responses, 388 (38.4%) were valid. For all health checkup ages, the CHS scores were higher among mothers with higher scores on the “state of the parental role,” a subscale of “parenting.” A mother being younger, and a child’s birth order being lower were associated with higher CHS scores among mothers of 18-month-olds and 3-year-olds, respectively. The CHS scores were also higher with higher “mothers’ perception of their child” scores among mothers of infants and 18-month-olds, and with stronger perceptions of fathers’ emotional support among mothers of 3-year-olds.

Conclusion: Having a sense of satisfaction with her role as a parent is found to be important for a mother to have higher CHS scores. This requires that mothers of infants and 18-months-olds have parenting support, while mothers of 18-months-olds should be able to interact with their children in a flexible manner according to the child’s personality. For mothers of 3-year-olds, promoting fathers’ emotional support in parenting is essential.