Perceived child behaviour problems, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction: comparison of new arrival and local parents of preschool children in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To compare parental perception of child behaviour problems, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction in new arrival and local parents.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey; semi-structured interview.

SETTING: Maternal and Child Health Centres, social service centres, preschools.

PARTICIPANTS: Parents of preschool children, including new arrival parents and local parents.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Child behaviour problems, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction.

RESULTS: After controlling for socio-economic factors, new arrival parents were more troubled by their children's behaviour problems and their parent-child interactions were more dysfunctional than those of local parents. There were no differences in parent-reported severity of child behaviour problems, parental distress, and marital satisfaction. New arrival parents reported difficulties in adapting to the new living environment and lack of social support.

CONCLUSIONS: New arrival parents were more troubled by their children's behaviour, and their parent-child interactions were more dysfunctional than those of local parents. These might in part be related to their settlement difficulties. Parenting programmes should address their specific settlement needs.