The Effects of COVID-19-Related Stress on Depression in Working Mothers with School-Aged Children: The Moderated Mediation Effect of Parenting Efficacy and Cognitive Flexibility

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the effects of COVID-19-related stress, parental efficacy, and cognitive flexibility on depression mothers with school-aged children examine a moderated mediation model.Methods: Data flexibility, were collected from 441 working who had at least one child using Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) Parenting Sense Competence (PSOC), COVID Stress/Disruption, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scales. then analyzed SPSS 26.0, PROCESS macro version 4.0.Results: The findings revealed that stress significant positive influence in mothers, which was mediated by efficacy. A analysis further indicated this indirect effect varied depending upon mothers’ sense control sub-factor flexibility. Therefore, when perceived they unlikely exercise any over changes caused COVID-19 pandemic, their efficacy exerted greater mediating effect.Conclusion: Results suggest interventions reducing increasing could alleviate among children. Furthermore, be effective helping those experiencing low level parenting due perceive demanding situation as within control.