The Relationship Between Parenting Stress and Parent–Child Communication among Physically Active and Inactive Women Parents

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of parenting stress levels of physically active and inactive women parents on their communication with their children and to determine whether physical activity status differentiates this relationship. The study employed a cross-sectional design and included 222 women parents aged 25 and over. Data were collected using the Parenting Stress Scale and the Parent–Child Communication Scale. Independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted. The results indicated no statistically significant differences between physically active and inactive women parents in terms of parenting stress or parent–child communication scores (p > .05). Similarly, exercise frequency and age groups did not yield significant differences. However, working mothers scored significantly higher in problem-solving and sensitivity subdimensions compared to non-working mothers (p < .05). Correlation analyses revealed significant negative relationships between parenting stress and parent–child communication in both groups, with stronger associations observed among physically active women. These findings suggest that although physical activity does not directly differentiate stress or communication levels, it may function as a contextual factor influencing the relationship between parenting stress and communication quality.