Kompetensi sosial merupakan tugas perkembangan yang krusial serta perlu untuk dioptimalkan bagi anak usia prasekolah karena pada rentang usia ini terjadi peningkatan kompleksitas dan variasi interaksi sosial. Penelitian sebelumnya sudah menemukan bahwa stres pengasuhan dan perilaku pengasuhan orangtua secara signifikan memengaruhi perkembangan kompetensi sosial anak usia prasekolah. Hanya saja, mekanisme hubungan antara stres pengasuhan, perilaku pengasuhan orangtua, dan perkembangan kompetensi sosial anak belum banyak diteliti. Penelitian kali ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari peran autonomy support Ibu sebagai mediator dalam hubungan antara stres pengasuhan dan kompetensi sosial anak prasekolah. Metode convenience sampling digunakan untuk merekrut partisipan. Terdapat 56 anak usia 48-72 bulan beserta Ibunya yang berpartisipasi dalam penelitian ini. Autonomy support Ibu diobservasi melalui kegiatan interaksi bersama anak dalam mengerjakan puzzle. Kompetensi sosial anak diukur dengan kuesioner Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale – Skala A yang diisi oleh orangtua, sedangkan stres pengasuhan diukur dengan kuesioner Parental Stress Scale. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa autonomy support memediasi penuh hubungan stres pengasuhan dan kompetensi sosial anak usia prasekolah. Penelitian ini memperluas temuan sebelumnya tentang pengaruh tidak langsung stres orang tua terhadap kompetensi sosial anak prasekolah yang dimediasi oleh perilaku pengasuhan autonomy support. Hasil penelitian ini dapat menjadi dasar bagi profesional untuk mengembangkan program intervensi yang berfokus pada peningkatan kemampuan Ibu untuk mengelola stres pengasuhan serta peningkatan keterampilan pengasuhan autonomy support.

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Social competence is a crucial developmental task for preschool children that needs to be optimized due to the increasing complexity and variety of the social interactions. Research has revealed the significance of parental stress and parenting behavior in influencing the development of social competence during the preschool period. Nonetheless, the mechanism of relationship between parental stress, parenting behavior, and child's social competence development has not been well explored. Furthermore, limited studies have investigated the mediating role of mother’s parenting practice in the relationship between parental stress and child's social competence. This research aims to explore the role of mother’s autonomy support as one of parenting behavior as a mediator in the relationship of parental stress and preschool child's social competence. Children aged 48-72 months old (N = 56) and their mothers participated in the current study. Children's social competence and parents' level of parental stress were measured through two different parent-report questionnaires, Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scale – Skala A dan Parental Stress Scale. Mother’s autonomy support was observed during the dyadic interaction between the mother and the child in the context of structured play. Data collection and observations are conducted online. Results indicate that mother’s autonomy support fully mediates the relationship of parental stress and preschool children's social competence. This research extends previous studies about the indirect effect of parental stress on preschool children's social competence mediated by parenting behavior in a pandemic condition. The results of this study can become a basis for professionals to develop program interventions that focus on increasing mothers' ability to manage parenting stress and increase the level of autonomy support.