EVERYDAY STRESS OF MOTHERS WITH CHILDREN BETWEEN 0 AND 4 YEARS OF AGE- A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

In order to examine the extent and structure of child induced stress 1 33 mothers were interviewed every year from the first to the fourth bi rthday of their oldest child. The total stress measured by eleven indi cators of the children's temperament, conduct and health was rather mi ld. It increased between the first and the third year and did not chan ge in the fourth year. The main sources of stress were the children's character and the amount of attention they demanded from their mothers . Factor analysis revealed four dimensions of stress: personality char acteristics, developmental level, physical and mental health. These di mensions proved to be basically the same at all four measurement point s. Cluster analysis of the four dimensions of stress showed five patte rns, which were fairly stable in time and differed in quality and exte nt of stress.