Foster parents are the largest group providing care for children in the foster care system. In the course of caring for children who have experienced significant trauma, loss, and uncertainty, foster parents face significant stressors unique to their position. Stress among foster parents can negatively impact the quality of their parenting and, subsequently, the children in their care. However, relatively little is known about those factors which impact foster parent well-being within the context of this stressful role. This study aims to address this gap by examining the relationship between parenting stress and well-being in foster parents, and the potential moderating effect of social support in this relationship. The study utilized a cross-sectional design and web-based survey methodology with a sample of licensed foster parents (both non-relative and relative caregivers) from one county in the midwestern United States. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that parenting stress is significantly, negatively related to foster parent well-being. Further, social support functions as a moderator, or buffer, in this relationship. Foster parents who indicated higher levels of social support reported being less negatively impacted by parenting stress. While qualitative research has suggested the importance of social support in foster family resilience, this study offers the first known quantitative findings among licensed foster parents on the protective function of social support in the context of parenting stress. These findings have implications for this population and the professionals and systems they encounter, including improved foster parent training and assessment, toward the greater goal of an improved child welfare system for the children within it.

寄养父母是寄养系统中为儿童提供照料的最大群体。在照顾经历过重大创伤、失落和不确定性的孩子的过程中，养父母面临着他们所处位置所特有的巨大压力源。养父母的压力会对他们养育子女的质量产生负面影响，进而影响他们照顾的孩子。然而，在这个压力很大的角色的背景下，对那些影响养父母福祉的因素知之甚少。本研究旨在通过检验养育父母的养育压力与幸福感之间的关系以及社会支持在这种关系中的潜在调节作用来解决这一差距。该研究采用横断面设计和基于网络的调查方法，对来自美国中西部一个县的持照养父母（非亲属和亲属照顾者）样本进行了调查。多元线性回归分析表明，养育压力与养父母幸福感显着负相关。此外，社会支持在这种关系中起到调节或缓冲的作用。表示社会支持水平较高的寄养父母表示受养育压力的负面影响较小。虽然定性研究表明社会支持在培养家庭复原力中的重要性，但本研究提供了第一个已知的关于持证养父母在养育压力背景下社会支持保护功能的定量研究结果。