An Ecological
Model
of parenting and social support
In this model, parental
competence is influenced by the environmental pressures bearing
on the family and the social support the family receives.
Environmental pressures
exert both a direct effect on the parenting load and hence the
parents' ability to cope, and an indirect effect by influencing
how well they are seen to be coping and hence the type and level
of support they need.
Social support impacts
on parental competence for better or worse depending on whether
it promotes or
inhibits the parents' capacity to manage the parental task.
The parents' actual
level of competence in turn feeds back to reinforce how they
are perceived by the support system.
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