%0 Journal Article
%T Parenting goal pursuit is linked to emotional well
%A Bonnie M. Le
%A Emily A. Impett
%J Journal of Social and Personal Relationships
%@ 1460-3608
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/0265407517747417
%X The aim of the current research was to identify the goals underlying parental care and how they are linked to parentsĄ¯ sense of emotional well-being, relationship quality, and responsiveness to their childĄ¯s needs. We examined the link between parenting goals and outcomes through surveying parents cross-sectionally (Studies 1 to 3), in a 10-day daily experience study (Study 4), and by conducting an internal meta-analysis of all four studies (N total = 1,906). In Studies 1 and 2, parents were found to pursue four unique goals as captured by a new scale called the Parenting Goals Scale (PGS). The PGS measures the four goals of child love and security, child development, parent image, and child acceptance. In Study 3, each of the four goals was found to be meaningfully related to, while also being distinct from, other individual differences in parenting styles, other-focused orientations, self-focused orientations, and attachment styles. In a 10-day daily experience study (Study 4) as well as an internal meta-analysis across all four studies, each goal was found to be uniquely related to parentsĄ¯ emotional well-being, relationship quality with their child, and feelings of responsiveness to their childĄ¯s needs. Daily and chronic pursuit of child love and security goals predicted greater emotional well-being, relationship quality, and responsiveness. In contrast, daily and chronic pursuit of parent image goals predicted poorer emotional well-being, relationship quality, and responsiveness, especially at the chronic level. Child development goals predicted poorer emotional well-being and relationship quality, especially at the chronic level. And finally, child acceptance goals predicted more positive emotions in daily life only. These associations largely held after controlling for parentsĄ¯ reports of childrenĄ¯s mood and care difficulty. The current findings contribute to a growing body of research focused on understanding the joys and frustrations of parenting
%K Goals
%K parenting
%K relationship quality
%K responsiveness
%K well-being
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265407517747417