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A Study on the Mental Health and Parenting Stress of Parents in Seoul

Author: 
Seong-Ah KimㆍJung-Ah Kim

This study was conducted for the purpose of providing basic data for the wellbeing of caregivers through a survey on the mental health and parenting stress of caregivers in Seoul.

As a result of examining the current status of parenting stress and mental health of 555 caregivers with children aged 0 to 9 years old living in Seoul, parenting stress was found to be higher in mothers than fathers, low-income or unemployed parents, parents with younger children, and parents raising children alone. Mental health problems of caregivers also showed similar results as parenting stress. Therefore, there is a need for preferential mental health care support for low-income, unemployed, and economically inactive caregivers, intensive care for postpartum depression and other mental health problems of caregivers immediately after childbirth, development of a healing program for caregivers raising children alone, and the spread of a culture in which mothers and fathers raise their children together.

Finally, as a result of collecting opinions from practitioners and experts in the field, for the wellbeing of mothers and fathers, it is necessary to take a multi-faceted approach, such as strengthening childcare support services and programs, strengthening parental health support and monitoring, supporting work-family balance, and spreading a culture in which fathers and mothers take care of their children together.