Maternal Parenting Stress Based on Employment Status

Testing Measurement Invariance Using Multi-Group Latent Class Analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID22006565
AuthorsJiyoon Kim (0000-0001-6864-1531, Korea University), Sojin Yoon (Korea University), So-Jin Yoon (0000-0002-3034-1469, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Sehee Hong (0000-0001-5468-8398, Korea University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume16
Issue1
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSAGE Open (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/21582440251405149
OpenAlexW7124770021
LanguageEN
References cited64

The primary objective of this study was to test measurement invariance using a multi-group latent class analysis to examine parenting stress across groups of employed and unemployed mothers. This study analyzed data from the third to eighth waves (ages 3–8) of the Panel Study on Korean Children, including a final sample of 1,796 participants with verifiable maternal employment status at the third wave. This analysis identified latent class classification patterns of maternal parenting stress in two groups and assessed similarities and differences in latent classes at both the latent and indicator levels. The key findings were as follows. First, the number of latent classes for parenting stress was consistently determined as three across both groups, indicating a similar model structure, regardless of employment status. Second, the examination of measurement invariance at the latent level revealed a structural invariant model, suggesting that mothers, regardless of their employment status, experienced parenting stress in fundamentally similar ways. This was evidenced in their comparable response patterns to stress-related indicators and aligned fluctuations in stress levels over time. Third, an item-level analysis revealed a notable difference in responses between employed and non-employed mothers when their children were 3 years old, suggesting that employment status may influence how maternal parenting stress is perceived during early childhood. This study provides significant insights into the relationship between maternal employment status and parenting stress by applying the multi-group latent class analysis, contributing to a deeper understanding of maternal parenting stress patterns in different employment contexts

Latent class model · Measurement invariance · Structural equation modeling · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum

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Open DOIOpen Access