Parental burnout during COVID-19: The moderating role of anxiety and family functioning

Parental burnout (PB) is characterised by parental exhaustion resulting from exposure to chronic parental stress. Due to the social and economic changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic that impacted families, there is a significant scientific interest in identifying factors related to PB within the pandemic context. This study aimed to analyse the relationships between parental stress (parental concerns, parental satisfaction, lack of control, and fears and anxieties), family functioning, psychological morbidity (anxiety and depression), and burnout in parents. The sample consisted of 253 parents, legal guardians or primary caregivers of children aged between 0 and 6 years. Results revealed that the child's age, psychological morbidity (depression), and parental stress were significant predictors of PB. Anxiety and family functioning played a moderating role in the relationship between parental satisfaction and PB. According to the results, intervention programs should focus on anxiety symptoms and family functioning to mitigate the effects of parental stress on PB.

Parental Burnout and Prosocial Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: The Role of Empathy

Parental burnout refers to exhaustion caused by the parenting role. This devastating negative emotion can have repercussions for adolescent social development. Nevertheless, much remains unclear about the association between parental burnout and adolescent prosocial behavior and the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship. Based on theoretical and empirical evidence, the current study examined the relationship between parental burnout and adolescent prosocial behavior by using a sequential mediation model that included both parental empathy and adolescent empathy as potential mediators. A total of 488 parent-adolescent dyads (for adolescents: 45.7% men, 54.3% women, Mage = 15.28 ± 1.67 years; for parents: 36.5% fathers, 63.5% mothers, Mage = 41.30 ± 3.79 years) completed questionnaires regarding demographics, social desirability, parental burnout, parental empathy, adolescent empathy, and adolescent prosocial behavior. After controlling for demographic covariates and social desirability, the results showed that parental burnout had a negative effect on adolescent-reported prosocial behavior through parental cognitive empathy and adolescent other-oriented empathy (adolescent cognitive empathy and empathic concern) sequentially. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of parental burnout as a family environmental factor detrimental to the positive functioning of adolescents through parental reactions to their children's emotions and children's own social competence.

"God gave you a special child because you are special": difficulties, coping strategies, and parental burnout of Jewish mothers - a qualitative study

Background

"Parental Burnout" is a specific syndrome resulting from an imbalance between continuous exposure to chronic parenting stress and available protective resources. Mothers of children with special needs have an increased risk of Parental Burnout due to dealing with various difficulties from carrying out long-term childcare.

Purpose

To examine difficulties, coping strategies, and PB (risk factors and protective resources), among ultra-Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish mothers of children with special needs with high or low levels of Parental Burnout.

Methods

A qualitative study. Twelve mothers of children with special needs identified with high or low Parental Burnout via a quantitative study were interviewed. The constant-comparative analysis method was used to analyze the findings.

Findings

Three themes and twelve categories emerged: 1. Difficulties involved in motherhood with six categories: (a) caregiver burden, (b) task overload, (c) physical and mental self-neglect, (d) environmental, couple-hood, family and social neglect, (e) recognizing the gap between their child with special needs and other children of the same age, (f) the environment's contradictory expectations from the mother; 2. Coping strategies with four categories: (a) practical, (b) spiritual, (c) social and (d) emotional; and 3. Parental Burnout, consequences and coping with two categories: (a) personal and environmental risk factors (e.g., fear of the future, difficulty in trusting others in taking care of their child), and (b) personal and environmental protective resources (e.g., sharing similar circumstances with other mothers, a belief in God).

Conclusions and implications

The findings contribute to understanding the unique difficulties, coping strategies and differences in risk factors and protective resources of Parental Burnout among ultra-Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish mothers of children with special needs. In order to alleviate the difficulties experienced by mothers and thus also reduce Parental Burnout risk factors and provide effective protective resources, it is recommended to develop empirically based professional guidance for policymakers, child development specialists, nurses, physiotherapists, and informal caregivers.

Preschool Emotional Problems in the Post-Pandemic Era between Parental Risk and Protective Factors

The psychosocial adaptation of children born or experiencing their early years during the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain. In order to implement prevention strategies, it is, therefore, a priority to deeply analyze children's mental health in this post-pandemic phase and to identify family risk and protective factors. Indeed, recent studies reveal that children's emotional distress increased with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in situations of high parental stress. The study investigates associations between some parental characteristics (coping strategies, parental burnout, resilience, perception of social support, and promotion of children's social-emotional competence) and children's emotional symptoms, considering gender differences. A total of 358 parents of children aged 2 to 6 years participated in this study. Regression analyses show that parental burnout is a predictor of emotional symptoms; moreover, for females, higher levels of emotional symptoms are associated with parental maladaptive coping strategies, whereas for males, the parent's ability to promote children's emotional competence is a protective factor. Results emphasize the importance of supporting parental well-being as a critical factor in shielding children from the repercussions of adverse situations.

Does Parenting Perfectionism Ironically Increase Violent Behaviors from Parent towards Children?

BACKGROUND

Past research has shown that perfectionistic strivings (PS) and perfectionistic concerns (PC) in the parenting domain are associated with an increase in parental burnout (PB), and that PB causally increases violence towards one's offspring. One may therefore wonder whether parenting perfectionism may ironically increase violence towards one's offspring.

OBJECTIVE

To the best of our knowledge, no study has ever investigated whether perfectionism (PS and PC) predicts violence towards one's offspring, or whether PB could explain this link. In the current pre-registered cross-lagged study, we hypothesized that an increase in PS and PC would lead to an increase in violence via an increase in PB.

METHOD

228 participants responded to a longitudinal online survey, with three measurement occasions spaced 2 months apart.

RESULTS

Contrary to expectations, cross-lagged path models revealed that violence towards the offspring prospectively predicted an increase in PS and PC. Mediation models showed that PB was not a significant mediator. Results of all models did not change when controlling for social desirability.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that violence towards the offspring increases the risk of PS and PC in parents. Results are discussed in light of the feeling of guilt experienced by parents.

IMPLICATIONS

Current worries that parenting perfectionism may paradoxically increase violence appear to be unwarranted at this stage. Moreover, correlation is not causation; thus, emphasizing caution before coming to clinically and societally relevant conclusions in cross-sectional studies. Thus, the PB and child maltreatment literature should slowly shift to using more longitudinal and causal designs.

Problematic media use in early childhood: The role of parent-child relationships and parental wellbeing in families in New Zealand and the United States

Problematic media use (PMU) during early childhood has the potential to interfere with the healthy functioning of family systems and may be associated with significant long-term problems for the child. However, we know very little about what contributes to early childhood PMU, particularly in the family context. We examine parenting factors as correlates of child PMU in two studies, from two different countries, using two different methods. Study 1 (N=93, Mage=45.3months, SD=10.15, 58%males, 87%mothers) investigated the concurrent role of self-reported parental burnout and parent-child conflict and closeness as correlates of child PMU in an early childhood sample in New Zealand. Study 2 (N=269, Mage=41.17months, SD=3.06 months, 49%males, 95%mothers) investigated observed parental warmth and harsh criticism as predictors of concurrent and longitudinal PMU in an early childhood sample in the United States. Together, findings showed that in both countries approximately 22-25% of young children show symptoms of PMU. After controlling for parent's PMU, parent-child conflict, warmth and parental burnout were not associated with child PMU. Low levels of parent-child closeness and parent's use of harsh criticism were predictive of child PMU. The findings advance our understanding of some of the parenting factors that influence the development of PMU in young children.

Parental Burnout During the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Role of Parenting Stressors and Coparenting Support

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes in family routines and introduced new stressors for parents. While stressors can lead to parental burnout, coparenting support may mitigate the effects of parental stress on parental burnout. The current study explored the effects of parental stress, COVID-19 stress, and coparenting support on parental burnout during the second year of the pandemic. Participants consisted of one hundred fifty-five parents in the USA (M = 39.6, SD = 7.38; female = 94.8%). Results suggested parental stress was positively associated with parental burnout while coparenting support was negatively associated with parental burnout. These findings highlight the importance of addressing parental stress and support to minimize the risk of parental burnout.

Parental burnout of parents of primary school students: an analysis from the perspective of job demands-resources

Objective

Based on the theory of Job Demands-Resources, this study has been set out to examine how parenting demands, parenting resources affect parental burnout of primary school students' parents.

Methods

An online survey with four scales (Parenting Stress Scale, Perceived Family Support Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale and Parental Burnout Scale) was completed by 600 parents of students from three primary schools in Central China. Structural equation models were implemented.

Results

Parenting stress had a positive impact on parental burnout (β = 0.486, p < 0.001). Both perceived family support (β = -0.228, p < 0.001) and psychological resilience (β = -0.332, p = 0.001) had a negative impact on parental burnout. Perceived family support played a moderating role between parenting stress and parental burnout (β = -0.121, p < 0.001). Psychological resilience also played a moderating role between parenting stress and parental burnout (β = -0.201, p < 0.001). Psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between perceived family support and parental burnout. The total effect was -0.290, with 95% CI (-0.350, -0.234). Direct effect was -0.228, with 95% CI (-0.283, -0.174), and indirect effect was -0.062, with 95% CI (-0.092, -0.037).

Conclusion

Parental burnout may be reduced by increasing family support and self-improvement of psychological resilience. In the same way, the impact of parenting stress on parental burnout may be buffered under high-pressure situations.

Parental burnout, depression and emotional development of the preschoolers

Introduction

Parental burnout is becoming more and more prevalent in the world, mainly incultures with high demands towards parents. Parental burnout is distinctive from depression and might have its unique influence on child development, which isunder current international research. This work contributes to the understanding of parental burnout, maternal depression and child emotional development(specifically emotion comprehension) interrelations. Additionally, we explored whether there are differences in the effects of parental burnout and depressionon boys and girls.

Methods

To analyse the emotional development of the preschoolers, the Russian version of the Test of Emotional Comprehension (TEC) was used. We used the Russian version of the Parental Burnout Inventory (PBI) to analyse the level of PB and the Russian version of Beck depression Inventory (BDI) to assess participants' depression level.

Results

Parental burnout positively correlates with child emotional comprehension skills, specifically understanding of external causes (B = 0.20, CI: 0.03; 0.37) and mental causes of emotions (B = 0.22, CI: 0.05; 0.40). This effect is gender dependent and is significantlyhigher for girls (B = 0.54, CI: 0.09; 0.98). The effect of maternal depression on emotion comprehension skills is also gender dependent: total scores on emotioncomprehension tasks are significantly higher for daughters of mothers with depression (B = 0.59, CI: 0.001; 1.18).

Discussion

Maternal depression and parental burnout might provoke development of extra sensitivity and self-regulation strategies in girls.

The mediating role of perceived social support: alexithymia and parental burnout in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder

Background

Parental burnout is a concept that reflects the emotional exhaustion and emotional distance of parents from children due to their inability to cope with the pressure of parenting. It has been confirmed that parents of autistic children are at higher risk for parental burnout. Additional research has suggested a relationship between parental burnout and parents' personality traits. However, the relationship between alexithymia, an independent personality factor, with parental burnout is little to none.

Objective

To look into the connection between parental burnout and alexithymia among parents of autistic children.

Method

Three hundred and one parents were approached for recruitment and data were collected from 203 parents through a cross-sectional survey assessing parental burnout, alexithymia status, and perceived social support. Because the data is not normally distributed, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient rho(p) was used to assess the correlation between the variables; and then using AMOS to analyze the mediating effects of perceived social support and the moderating effect of gender.

Result

The result showed that (1) There is a negative association between alexithymia with parental burnout (β = 0.6, p < 0.01), while perceive social support was the negative predictor of alexithymia (β = -0.45, p < 0.01) and parental burnout (β = -0.26, p < 0.01); (2) perceive social support partially mediated the relationship between alexithymia and parental burnout of parents of autistic children, which can explain 16.3% of the total effect; (3) Gender plays a moderating role in the first half of the indirect effect of alexithymia on parental burnout, as evidenced by the significant difference in path coefficients between the male and female models (male: β = -0.10, p < 0.05; female: β = -0.60, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Health professionals and policymakers should be aware of parental burnout among parents of autistic children in China and take early intervention steps. Furthermore, they should recognize the negative impact of alexithymia and the positive impact of social support when developing plans to alleviate parental burnout in children with autism, with a particular focus on mothers with alexithymia, who are more likely to experience low social support and burnout than fathers with alexithymia.

Parental Burnout, Quality of Life, and Pregnancy During COVID-19

Background: Parents may be at greater risk to experience parental burnout after experiencing challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the unique experiences of parents with young children during the first two years of the pandemic, this study explored the relationship between parental burnout, quality of life (QOL), and perceived threat of COVID-19 among a sample of adults who parented at least one child under the age of five. Method: A brief survey was conducted through convenience sampling (N = 48) and included the Brief Parental Burnout Scale, The QOL Scale, and a perceived COVID threat scale. Results: Logistic regression analysis found that pregnancy was a significant predictor of burnout risk even after controlling other effects on burnout risk. Conclusion: Findings suggest that the pandemic negatively impacted parental burnout and pregnancy during the first 2 years of the pandemic increased risk for burnout. Awareness is important for appropriate assessment and intervention by clinicians.

Parental and Pandemic Burnout, Internalizing Symptoms, and Parent-Adolescent Relationships: A Network Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic and preventive measures undertaken by many governments have had a significant impact on family relationships, which could result in worsened parenting. In our study, we used network analysis to examine the dynamic system of parental and pandemic burnout, depression, anxiety, and three dimensions of relationship with an adolescent: connectedness, shared activities, and hostility. Parents (N = 374; M_age = 42.9) of at least one child at the age of adolescence completed an online survey. The central symptoms in the network were parental emotional exhaustion and parental anxiety. Parental emotional exhaustion correlated negatively with activities shared with the adolescent, but positively with hostility. Anxiety correlated positively with parental emotional exhaustion. Emotional exhaustion and anxiety were the strongest bridge symptoms between parental burnout, internalizing symptoms, and parenting. Our results suggest that psychological interventions supporting parent-adolescent relationships should address primarily parental emotional exhaustion and anxiety.

When not teaming up puts parents at risk: Coparenting and parental burnout in dual-parent heterosexual families in Switzerland

Parental burnout refers to loss of energy and pleasure in the parental role. It is predictive of psychopathological outcomes in parents and dysfunctional parenting behaviors. Support of parental duties is central to alleviation of parental burden and prevention of burnout. Coparenting is the concept related to interparental mutual support in rearing a child. However, the links between coparenting and parental burnout have yet to be assessed. We thus aimed in this study to assess which dimensions of coparenting are linked with parental burnout. A total of 306 participants from the French-speaking part of Switzerland (120 fathers, 186 mothers) completed online questionnaires about parental burnout, their coparental relationship, and sociodemographic characteristics. We performed hierarchical regressions, entering sociodemographic characteristics in a first block and coparenting dimensions in a second block. Results showed that (i) a higher number of children and having younger children are linked to higher burnout; (ii) coparenting exposure to conflict is related to higher burnout, whereas endorsement of the partner's parenting is related to lower burnout; and (iii) no interaction effect occurs between sociodemographic characteristics and coparenting variables. Coparenting thus significantly contributes to the occurrence of burnout syndrome. Working on the coparental relationship preventively in parental educational programs or at a relational systemic level in therapy may help prevent burnout. Treating one parent only may not be sufficient to alleviate burnout, as negative coparenting could counter the effect of individual therapy.

Empathy and parenthood: The moderating role of maternal trait empathy on parental burnout

The ability to empathize with others enables us to effectively interact with each other and may have specifically evolved to support parental roles and caregiving. The relationship between parenting and trait empathy is little understood as previous research focused on empathy exclusively in the context of parenting, for example parental sensitivity. Here we aimed to understand how trait empathy may moderate the association between child's negative emotionality and parental burnout. Two cohorts were examined (1) parents of infants (10-18 months old; N = 203) and (2) parents of children (3-10 years old, N = 201). Parents filled out a battery of online questionnaires assessing maternal empathy, parental burnout and child temperament. We found that the relationship between higher levels of negative emotionality and parental burnout is moderated by specific aspects of maternal emotional empathy. Our findings suggest that maternal emotional empathy acts as a buffer against parental burnout when faced with a child's characteristics that incur higher parental demands.

Parental burnout and depression among Iranian mothers: The mediating role of Maladaptive Coping modes

OBJECTIVE

Depression in mothers impacts children negatively. Understanding the antecedents and the underlying mechanisms of depression is essential in helping clinicians target depressive symptoms effectively. This study investigated the relationship between parental burnout and depression in mothers and examined the mediation role of Maladaptive Coping modes.

METHOD

A total of 224 mothers participated in this study and completed the Parental Burnout Assessment scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and items related to coping modes in Schema Mode Inventory.

RESULTS

Data analysis with structural equation modeling revealed that depression and parental burnout were positively and significantly related. Bootstrap analysis showed that all coping modes except the Self-Aggrandizer mode act as mediators between parental burnout and depression in mothers. Detached Protector mode had the strongest indirect effect on depression.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest Maladaptive Coping modes mediate the association between parental burnout and depression. The present finding provides evidence that Maladaptive Coping modes can be considered probable mediational mechanisms that relate depression to parental burnout in mothers and may serve as potential interventional targets.

Parental Burnout and Adolescents' Development: Family Environment, Academic Performance, and Social Adaptation

The present study aimed to examine the effect and underlying mechanism of parental burnout on adolescents' development as well as the mediating role of parental psychological control. Adolescents' academic performance, and social distress were selected as developmental indicators. Data were collected on three different occasions using a time-lagged design. Questionnaires were distributed to 565 Chinese families. In the first phase of data collection, fathers and mothers were asked to provide data regarding their parental burnout separately. In the second phase, adolescents were asked to provide details regarding their perceived father and mother's psychological control. In the third phase, adolescents were asked to provide information on their social distress. At the end of their term, academic performance scores on the final exams were collected. In total, data of 290 students (135 boys; Mage = 13.85 years) and their parents (for fathers age M = 41.91, and for mothers M = 40.76) were matched. The results of the multi-group structural equation model showed that parental burnout was negatively related to adolescents' development indirectly through parental psychological control. Parental psychological control partial mediated the relation between parental burnout and academic performance, and fully mediated the relation between parental burnout with social adaptation. In addition, mothers' parental burnout showed a stronger effect than fathers'. Mothers' parental burnout generally showed significant effects on adolescents' development, while the same indirect effects were not significant in the sample of fathers. These results showed the importance of mothers' influence on adolescents in parenting activities, and therefore, attention should be paid to mothers in the intervention and prevention of parental burnout.

Parental Resources in Parents of Children with Special Needs (SNs) at the Time of COVID-19

Background. The limitations imposed by governments for containing the spread of COVID-19 have affected familial relationships, especially those of families dealing with children with special needs or chronic illness conditions. The current study aims to better understand what pathological/disability condition has impacted parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of children’s executive functioning the most. Methods. A sample of 648 parents was asked to answer a survey assessing children’s condition (typical development, specific learning disorder, autism spectrum syndrome, chronic illness), parental resources, parenting sense of competence (distinguished into parental satisfaction and self-efficacy), and parents’ perception of their children’s executive functioning. A MANOVA model was performed to assess differences in parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of the children’s executive functions according to their condition. A path analysis model was performed to examine the impact of sense of competence and children’s condition on parental resources and children’s executive functions. Results. Parents with children with specific learning disorder reported lower scores of parental resources in terms of total scores, common antecedents, and specific antecedents compared to parents with typically developed children (total scores: MD = 56.45, p < 0.001; common antecedents: MD = 22.28, p < 0.00; specific antecedents: MD = 34.17, p < 0.001), parents with autistic children (total scores: MD = 62.79, p = 0.01; common antecedents: MD = 24.03, p = 0.01; specific antecedents: MD = 38.76, p = 0.02) and parents of children with chronic illness (total scores: MD = 37.42, p = 0.04; common antecedents: MD = 16.59, p = 0.01). The path analysis model shows a direct effect of parental satisfaction (β = 0.26) and pathology/disability (β = −0.10) on parental resources that, in turn, influence parents’ perception of their children’s executive functioning (β = 0.24). Conclusion. Although no data about the prepandemic situation is available, the current study highlights that parental stress influence children’s cognition. Moreover, parents of children with special needs seemed to be challenged during COVID-19, especially parents of children with specific learning disorders, that are already stressed out by their children’s condition. Therefore, academic services should undertake preventive measures to preserve parental well-being and to provide a supportive environment for children, especially for those with atypical development.

Burnout Syndrome and COVID-19 Lockdown: Research on Residential Care Workers Who Assume Parental Roles with Youths

Healthcare professionals are at higher risk of developing and experiencing burnout. Parents may also suffer from prolonged stressful conditions that lead to physical and emotional exhaustion. Residential youth care workers assume a caregiving role that can lead to persistent stressful conditions that affect their relationship with the youth. In addition, the COVID-19 lockdown has had a negative impact on both the organization and the work, as well as on the lifestyle of workers and minors. In fact, during the pandemic, contact with families was not possible due to restrictions and this increased the need for caregivers to assume a parental role. This research aims to examine the risk of burnout in a sample of 75 healthcare professionals working with youths and the association with psychological traits. Then, we aim to evaluate these aspects during the COVID-19 lockdown The measurements, conducted in both February 2019 and April 2021, included six questionnaires: MBI to assess burnout, TAS_20 to explore alexithymic traits, COPE_NVI to assess coping strategies, FDS_R to quantify frustration intolerance at work, IRI for empathy, and FFMQ to investigate awareness and emotional regulation. Our sample shows a medium-high risk of developing burnout, which worsened during the pandemic. A worsening of emotional skills, paralleled by a greater empathic investment required by the emergency situation, and an assumed parental role is observable. Coping strategies correlate with burnout risk, as avoidance strategies were strongly associated with emotional exhaustion. These findings suggest an urgent need to develop targeted and timely interventions for healthcare professionals in order to prevent long-term consequences.

Understanding the types of social support that can mitigate parental burnout in mothers of children with medical complexity

BACKGROUND

Parental burnout is characterized by exhaustion, emotional distancing and a sense of ineffectiveness in the parenting role. Parents of children with medical complexity (CMC) face various challenges due to their child's diagnosis. Specifically, mothers of CMC experience more parental burnout symptoms than mothers of children without healthcare needs. Multiple studies have identified interventions for mitigating caregiver stress in parents of CMC. However, social support is of interest to organizations that provide services geared towards the family unit's social-emotional wellbeing. This article aims to explore the role of social support in mitigating parental burnout in mothers of CMC. It also aims to offer guidance to community-based organizations, practitioners, and mental health advocates on how to best allocate resources to provide social support opportunities for mothers of CMC.

METHODS

A qualitative case study approach was utilized to explore the role of social support in mitigating parental burnout in mothers of CMC. A sample of five mothers of CMC participated in an interview regarding the role of social support in mitigating parental burnout. Within-case analysis was used to identify overarching themes, followed by cross-case analysis to determine similarities among participants' experience.

RESULTS

Three salient themes emerged from the participants' interviews: isolation, types of social support, and the benefits of helping others. Types of social support included four subcategories: church support, practical support, mental health support and respite/childcare support.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the study indicated that active engagement in specific types of social support was critical in mitigating parental burnout and feelings of isolation in mothers of CMC. Furthermore, results revealed that mothers of CMC experience positive benefits from helping others. These findings encourage community-based organizations to focus on maximizing partnerships with churches and other non-profit organizations to develop strategic programmes for mitigating parental burnout in mothers of CMC.

Parental burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic

Increased and long-term parental stress related to one's parental role can lead to parental burnout. In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, families experienced intensified pressure due to the government-initiated contact restrictions applied to prevent the spread of the virus in the population. This study investigates the risk factors and predictors of parental burnout in a large sample of parents (N = 1488) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Demographic and psychosocial factors were assessed at two timepoints: at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak in March 2020 (T1) and at 3 months follow-up (T2). A hierarchical regression analysis was applied to identify the factors that contribute to parental burnout at T2. Parental burnout was additionally explored across subgroups. Findings revealed that younger age was associated with more parental burnout. Concurrent (T2) use of unhelpful coping strategies, insomnia symptoms, parental stress, and less parental satisfaction was significantly associated with the presence of greater parental burnout (T2). Additionally, parental stress and satisfaction measured in the earliest phase of the pandemic (T1) were associated with parental burnout 3 months later (T2) over and above concurrent parental stress/satisfaction. Unemployed parents and individuals with a mental health condition were identified as subgroups with substantially heightened levels of parental burnout.

The Mechanisms of Parental Burnout Affecting Adolescents' Problem Behavior

Parental burnout refers to the feelings of extreme exhaustion that many parents experience due to parenting. Although parental burnout has received considerable interest from researchers, the effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescents' physical and psychological development remain largely unknown. This study investigated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behaviors in Chinese families. We explored the mediating roles of family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control, as well as the moderating role of co-parenting. Questionnaires were distributed to 600 adolescents and their primary caregivers, and the data were collected on three different occasions. In total, 174 paired participants completed the survey (44.9% boys; Mean-age = 14.18 years). Bootstrapping results showed that parental burnout was positively associated with adolescents' problem behavior. In addition, family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control mediated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behavior. Co-parenting moderated the effects of parental burnout on family function and parental psychological aggression. The result of structural equation modeling (SEM) generally supported the above results. These findings reveal the negative effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescent problem behavior, providing empirical evidence that can be applied to prevent the negative effects of parental burnout.

Psychometric Properties of the New Working Parent Burnout Scale

INTRODUCTION

Parental burnout is an underrecognized condition with adverse consequences for parents and children. The objective of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of a new scale, the Working Parent Burnout Scale, and a concurrent one-item assessment.

METHOD

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. The sample included parents (N = 1,285) living with children < 18 years. Content, face, construct, and predictive validity and reliability were established.

RESULTS

Cronbach α was 0.90 with the elimination of item four on the scale. All factor loadings were > 0.40. The one-factor model was supported by confirmatory factor analysis. The Pearson r correlation was 0.59 for the total score on the original 10-item burnout scale (item 4 excluded) and the one-item assessment.

DISCUSSION

These are the first known scales to measure working parent burnout. By better identifying parental burnout, preventive and interventional approaches can be initiated to enhance parent and child outcomes.

Perceived Covid-19-crisis intensity and family supportive organizational perceptions as antecedents of parental burnout: A study conducted in Italy in March/April 2021 and 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate to what extent perceived Covid-19-crisis intensity (PCCI) leads to the experience of parental burnout (PB), a syndrome characterized by exhaustion, emotional detachment from one's own children and a sense of inefficacy in the role as parent. Furthermore, the mediating role of work-family conflict (WFC) is examined. The buffering effect of family supportive organizational perceptions during the pandemic (FSOP-p) on the relationship between work-family conflict and parental burnout is also explored. Data were collected in March-April 2021 and March/April 2022. In spring 2021, 222 Italian working parents with at least one minor child living at home filled out the questionnaire. Data from 2021 showed that PCCI was positively related to the experience of parental burnout. Moreover, WFC mediated this relationship. No significant interaction effect was found for FSOP-p; however it was found that FSOP-p is negatively related to PCCI and WFC, and indirectly to parental burnout. In spring 2022, we examined whether there were changes in PCCI, WFC, and FSOP-p in a sample of 83 Italian parents. Moreover, for the second data collection we examine the tensions experienced by parents in their families about vaccination and infection precaution measures (e.g., Covid-19 vaccination passport). The results are different in 2022; the effect of PCCI on parental burnout is now completely mediated by the amount of WFC. It seems that now we go 'back to normal' and homeworking has become more optional for many, there is still an effect of PCCI on WFC, but no longer directly on parental burnout. Furthermore, the prevalence of PCCI in 2022 is lower than in 2021, while WFC and FSOP-p are not significantly different between the two timepoints. As family supportive organizational perceptions reduce the level of perceived Covid-19 intensity, organizations are urged to develop practices of support and to create a supportive environment.

Behavior problems reduce academic outcomes among primary students: A moderated mediation of parental burnout and parents' self-compassion

The present study examines the mediating role of parental burnout in the relationship between students' behavior problems and academic outcomes and whether this mediating process is moderated by parents' self-compassion (PSC). This study was designed according to a cross-sectional study model, and includes 821 Vietnamese primary students (Mage = 9.98, SD = 0.889) completing behavior problems questionnaires. The parents completed parental burnout and the PSC questionnaires. The school office reported academic outcomes. Main findings include: (1) Student's behavior problems have a direct negative influence on academic outcomes; (2) the mediating role of parental burnout was significant; (3) the moderating role of PSC was also significant. This study suggests that students' behavior problems increase parental burnout, reducing academic outcomes. Next, higher self-compassion protected parents from the negative effect of children's behavior problems. The results of this study are meaningful for developing interventions, which help improve parents' mental health and children's positive outcomes.

Parental burnout and sleep problems in Iranian mothers of primary school-aged children: Exploring the mediation effect of emotional schemas

OBJECTIVES

Sleep is crucial for mental well-being. Evidence suggests sleep problems in mothers can result from parental burnout. The possible mediators that link parental burnout to sleep problems have not been investigated. This study seeks to explore the mediational role of emotional schemas as psychological constructs, which relate parental burnout to sleep problems in mothers of school-aged children.

METHOD

A total of 224 mothers participated voluntarily in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected online. The participants completed Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA) scale, Mini Sleep Questionnaire-Persian Version (MSQ-P), and Leahy Emotional Schema Scale (LESS II). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using the bootstrap method to assess the mediation model.

RESULTS

The findings of this research indicate a positive correlation exists between parental burnout, emotional schemas, and insomnia/hypersomnia. The mediation analysis confirmed parental burnout and insomnia/ hypersomnia are related indirectly through emotional schemas.

CONCLUSION

Implications of the findings is that when parental burnout is present, the psychological treatment of sleep problems may benefit from targeting emotional schemas. However, further research is needed to determine whether similar mediational effects are replicated.

Are parents of intellectually gifted child(ren) at higher, lower or equal risk for parental burnout?

Being a parent can lead to exhaustion when risk factors offset protective factors. Recent research enabled the understanding of parental burnout antecedents among parents of typical and atypical children, but we know few about parental burnout (PB) among parents of intellectually gifted (IG) children. At the same time, several qualitative studies report particularities of being a parent of IG child(ren). In this quantitative study, we explore whether the risk of PB is different for parents of IG child(ren) than for the global population. We use two samples of 196 strictly matched parents: the first is composed of parents having at least one IG child, the second is constituted of demographically matched control parents (data collection took place from November 2019 to February 2020). We use Kruskal-Wallis analysis to compare groups. The results suggest that having an IG child does not significantly modify the risk of PB (Mean IG group = 32.45, SD = 28.21; Mean control group = 27.69, SD = 25.58; KW = 3.500, p = 0.06; Cohen's d = 0.18). Implications and future perspectives are discussed, including the relevance of taking into account other special features of the IG child and the intellectual giftedness of the parent in future researches.

The Associations Between Parental Burnout and Mental Health Symptoms Among Chinese Parents With Young Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused numerous unexpected changes for families and societies, which have likely contributed to higher amounts of stress for most parents. This study aimed to examine the relationship between burnout and mental health among parents during the COVID-19. Pandemic exposure and household factors (e.g., family structure, family function) were examined as moderators. An online cross-sectional survey recruiting 1,209 adults was conducted from April 21st to April 28th, 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown in China. The multivariable linear regression analysis was employed to test the association between burnout, household factors, and mental health among parents. Findings suggested that for parents with a young child, poorer mental health was related to a higher level of burnout (β = 0.220, P < 0.001) and greater exposure to the pandemic. Mothers of a single and/or young child had considerably poorer mental health. Moreover, the relationship between mental health and burnout among parents was significantly moderated by epidemic exposure (β = 2.561, P < 0.001), family structure (number of children: β = -1.257, P < 0.001; first child age: β=-1.116, P < 0.001) and family function (β = -0.574, P < 0.05). This study indicated that burnout symptoms were significantly associated with worse mental health among parents in China. Besides, exposure to the pandemic, family structure, and family function was found to moderate the association between burnout and mental health among parents. Therefore, the present study stressed enhanced access to mental health resources and emotional supports for parents during a public crisis to reduce the deleterious effects of burnout.

[Diagnosing, managing and preventing parental burnout]

Parental burnout has recently been identified as one of the priorities in the field of psychological sciences. The seriousness of its consequences on parents and children has revealed the urgent need to develop valid and effective diagnostic, management and prevention tools. An overview of existing tools in the literature, with particular attention to the role that frontline professionals can play, is essential.

[Differences between parental burnout and postpartum depression]

Parental burnout, postpartum depression and major depression are conditions that share common symptomologies, but are not to be confused with each other. It is therefore important to define each of these disorders before documenting the similarities, differences and the issue of differential diagnosis in each of these conditions.

Parents' Self-Reported Psychological Impacts of COVID-19: Associations With Parental Burnout, Child Behavior, and Income

OBJECTIVE

The current study investigates associations between parents' perceived coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) psychological impacts and experiences of parental burnout, children's behaviors, and income.

METHODS

Data were collected during an online survey of parents' (N = 1000) pandemic experiences in April 2020. Parents (M = 36.5 years old, SD = 6.0; 82.1% White) with at least one child 12 years or younger reported on measures of mental health, perceived COVID-19 impacts, parental burnout, and perceived increases in children's stress and positive behaviors.

RESULTS

Path model analyses revealed that parents who perceived increased psychological impacts from COVID-19 reported higher levels of parental burnout, greater increases in children's stress behaviors, and less positive behavior in children. Additionally, there were significant indirect effects of parental burnout on the link between COVID-19 psychological impacts and children's behaviors. Finally, family income moderated associations between psychological impacts and children's stress behaviors, such that the association was stronger for families with lower income.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest parents' perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health has implications for parent and child well-being, with stronger associations for low-income families. Given the potential for spillover effects between parents and children, promoting family well-being through practice and policy initiatives is crucial, including providing financial and caregiving relief for parents, and mental and behavioral health support for families.

Latent Profiles of Parental Burnout During COVID-19: The Role of Child-Related Perceptions

The present study examined latent profiles of parental burnout dimensions (e.g., exhaustion in parental role, contrast with previous parental self, feelings of being fed up, and emotional distancing, measured with a shortened version of the parental burnout assessment scale) among Finnish parents of sixth and eighth grade children. In addition, the role of children’s strengths and difficulties (e.g., prosocial skills, hyperactivity, somatic problems, conduct problems, and peer problems) and parents’ growth mindset in predicting membership in the latent parental burnout profiles was examined. The participants were 1,314 parents (80% mothers) from the Helsinki Metropolitan area who filled in a questionnaire concerning their parenting burnout and child-related perceptions during the fall 2020. The results were analyzed using latent profile analysis (LPA) and three-step procedure. Three latent profiles of parental burnout were identified as: low parental burnout (85.7% of the parents), high parental burnout (8%), and emotionally distanced (6.3%) profiles. Parents who reported their children having some challenges (e.g., hyperactivity, somatic problems, conduct problems, and peer problems) more often belonged to the high burnout or emotionally distanced profiles rather than to the low parental burnout profile. Parents whose children had high prosocial skills and who employed growth mindset more often belonged to the low parental burnout rather than to the distanced profile.

Parental Burnout and the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Portuguese Parents Experienced Lockdown Measures

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to analyze parental burnout (PB) and establish a comparison between the times before (Wave 1) and during (Wave 2) the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic brought additional stress to families. The pandemic could be particularly difficult for parents experiencing parental burnout, a condition that involves four dimensions: an overwhelming sense of exhaustion, emotional distancing from the child, saturation or a loss of fulfillment with the parental role, and a sharp contrast between how parents used to be and how they see themselves now.

METHOD

A quasi-longitudinal research design was adopted, comparing two cross-sectional studies among Portuguese parents (N = 995), with an interval of 2 years between each wave of data collection. Participants were surveyed voluntarily through an online questionnaire located on the institutional web platform of the universities involved in the study. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to take into account the associations among variables, alongside controlling the possible confounding effects.

RESULTS

Parents have overall higher parental burnout scores in Wave 2 than Wave 1, with increased exhaustion, emotional distancing, and contrast, but decreased saturation. Although parental burnout levels remain higher for mothers across the two Waves, the growth is greater for fathers than for mothers.

CONCLUSION

Reconciling childcare with paid work is a stressful and new experience for many fathers. However, results suggest that even amid a crisis, some parents had the opportunity to deeply bond with their children.

IMPLICATIONS

We expect this work to encourage stakeholders to consider proper intervention strategies to address potential parental burnout. Also, initiatives that strengthen gender equity within parenting context are needed.

Self-Compassion and Rumination Type Mediate the Relation between Mindfulness and Parental Burnout

The COVID-19 lockdown increased the day-to-day challenges faced by parents, and thereby may have increased parental burnout risk. Therefore, identifying parental burnout protection factors is essential. This study aimed to assess the protective role of the following factors which can be increased through mindfulness practice: trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and concrete vs. abstract ruminations. A total of 459 parents (M_age = 40; 98.7% female) completed self-reported questionnaires at two-time points to assess the predictive role of mindfulness on parental burnout, self-compassion and rumination type, and the mediating role of self-compassion and rumination type in the relation between mindfulness and parental burnout. Results showed that trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and rumination type at Time 1 predicted levels of parental burnout at Time 2. Self-compassion (indirect effects: b = − 22, 95% CI = [−38, −05], p < 0.01), concrete ruminations (indirect effects: b = −20, 95% CI = [−32, −09], p < 0.001), and abstract ruminations (indirect effects: b = −0.54, 95% CI = [−71, −37], p < 0.001) partially mediated the relation between trait-mindfulness and parental burnout. These findings showed that trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and concrete (vs. abstract) ruminations may help prevent parental burnout in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These results contribute to the field of research on parental burnout prevention and will allow for the development of effective approaches to mental health promotion in parents.

Research on parental burnout across cultures: Steps toward global understanding

In this commentary we first examine psychometric issues in the ambitious enterprise of cross-cultural application of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The present reports span a wide range of cultural places. Overall, the PBA presents good face validity and a strong replication of factor structure; future multi-group confirmatory factor analysis will enable quantitative comparisons not currently possible. Content validity is not fully addressed in these reports, so nuanced differences in the nature of parental burnout remain an interesting possibility. Variation the PBA's correlations with other measures, such as education and household type, suggests cultural mediation in the causes and dynamics of parental burnout. In the second part of our commentary, we address more directly whether parental burnout is influenced by the sociocultural context in which it is manifest. We propose that future research will benefit from more precise description of the particular cultural community involved, including the settings, customs, and ethnotheories of parenting. Gaining a global understanding of parental burnout, in other words, rests on building firmer and more differentiated pictures at the local level. The papers in this volume nevertheless present an important step forward in what promises to be an exciting journey of discovery.

The Effect of Concerns About COVID-19 on Anxiety, Stress, Parental Burnout, and Emotion Regulation: The Role of Susceptibility to Digital Emotion Contagion

Background and aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused social and economic turmoil, which has led to enormous strain for many families. Past work with pandemic outbreaks suggests that media attention can increase anxiety and compensatory behaviors. Social isolation can lead to increase in online communication and parents who use social media may be affected by other people's emotions online through what is known as digital emotion contagion (DEC). The current study aimed to examine the role of DEC in the relationship between stress, concern about COVID-19, parental burnout and emotion regulation (ER). Methods: In April 2020, an online survey was advertised in Social Media Parenting Groups and published on FIU Psychology online research system SONA. Data were analyzed using correlational analysis, linear and multiple linear regression, and moderation analysis. Results: Concern about COVID-19 predicted stress, depression, and parental burnout. Susceptibility to DEC significantly increased the impact of stress on parental burnout. Having relatives infected with COVID-19 increased the effect of DEC on parental burnout. A higher level of ER buffered the relationship between emotion contagion and concern about COVID-19. Conclusion: These findings suggest that susceptibility to digital emotion contagion may have a negative effect on parents. Digital emotion contagion may increase parental burnout and is tied to stress.

Psychological Well-Being, Marital Satisfaction, and Parental Burnout in Iranian Parents: The Effect of Home Quarantine During COVID-19 Outbreaks

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as an infectious disease, is now prevalent in many countries around the world, which has recently led many governments to home quarantine and impose penalties for violating quarantine. Concerns and stress caused by lockdown and social isolation led to personal and interactive reactions in some families, which are also culturally important to address. This study was administrated to study the psychological well-being and the effect of home quarantine on marital satisfaction (MS) and parental burnout (PB) from parenting responsibilities during the prevalence of COVID-19 in Iranian parents. A total of 213 parents (140 mothers and 73 fathers) voluntarily participated in the online survey in the period of February to mid-April 2020 and completed the 5-item index of the well-being of the World Health Organization (WHO-5), the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS), and the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The results showed that the effect of home quarantine on MS and PB was not significant in parents (p > 0.01). The interactive effect of home quarantine and gender was not significant on MS and PB (p > 0.01). In addition, the mothers significantly reported higher PB than the fathers, but the fathers had higher scores in MS and psychological well-being (p < 0.01). The effect of some demographic factors on the studied variables was also significant. Supportive resources in family-based culture may play an essential role to reduce the negative effects of stressful situations on family interactions.

Exhausted parents in Japan: Preliminary validation of the Japanese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment

We examined the factorial structure and validity of a Japanese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment, the PBA-J, with 1,500 Japanese parents. The Parental Burnout Assessment measures burnout using four dimensions: exhaustion in one's parental role, contrast in parental self, feelings of being fed up, and emotional distancing. Confirmatory factor analysis on the PBA-J supported a four-factor model. Multiple-group structural equation modeling with parent participants was supported for the factor-loading invariance model. Mothers had higher parental burnout scores than fathers. We found moderate-to-strong correlation coefficients between the PBA-J and the Parental Burnout Inventory (PBI-J; the comparative burnout measure), and weak-to-moderate correlation coefficients between the PBA-J and job burnout, neuroticism, co-parenting disagreement, and family disorganization. The PBA-J was correlated with parental perfectionism, particularly with concern over mistakes rather than sociodemographic variables. Overall, our findings provide initial evidence for the validity of the PBA-J.

Why we should move from reductionism and embrace a network approach to parental burnout

Network science has allowed varied scientific fields to investigate and visualize complex relations between many variables, and psychology research has begun to adopt a network perspective. In this paper, we consider how leaving behind reductionist approaches and instead embracing a network perspective can advance the field of parental burnout. Although research into parental burnout is in its early stages, we argue that a network approach to parental burnout could set the scene for radically new vistas in parental burnout research. We claim that such an approach can allow simultaneous investigations (and clear visualizations) of many variables related to parental burnout and their interactions, integrates smoothly with prior family systems theories, and prioritizes dynamic research questions. We likewise discuss potential future clinical applications, such as interventions targeting central nodes and treatment personalized to a specific family's network system. We also review practical considerations, limitations, and future directions for researchers interested in applying a network approach to parental burnout research.

Validation of a Chinese Version of the Parental Burnout Assessment

Parenting is a meaningful endeavor but it also induces stress, which can cause parental burnout. In China, the assessment and study of parental burnout are still in their formative stages. To contribute to advancing this field, the present study aimed to develop and validate a Chinese version of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). Questionnaires were distributed to 614 families (comprising students in the eighth grade and both of their parents; one questionnaire for each person) on two separate occasions (Time 1 and Time 2). The students were asked to self-report their loneliness and life satisfaction at Time 1 and their anti-social behavior at Time 2. Meanwhile, parents were asked to self-report their parental burnout and job burnout at both Time 1 and Time 2, their marriage satisfaction at Time 1, and their levels of agreeableness and neuroticism at Time 2. Using the data obtained, we performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, which indicated that this version of the PBA had a single-factor structure. The α of the PBA was 0.938 at Time 1 and 0.952 at Time 2. At Time 1, parental burnout was positively related to their job burnout in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and negatively related to their marriage satisfaction. In addition, parental burnout was positively related to students' life satisfaction, and mothers' parental burnout was positively related to students' loneliness. At Time 2, parental burnout showed positive relations with neuroticism and job burnout in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and was negatively related to agreeableness. In addition, mothers' parental burnout was positively related to students' anti-social behavior. Furthermore, parental burnout at Time 1 also showed positive relations with job burnout through emotional exhaustion and depersonalization measured at Time 2, and parental burnout at Time 1 was positively related to students' anti-social behavior at Time 2. Overall, the present study confirmed the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PBA.

Feeling Pressure to Be a Perfect Mother Relates to Parental Burnout and Career Ambitions

Background and aims: Intensive mothering norms prescribe women to be perfect mothers. Recent research has shown that women's experiences of pressure toward perfect parenting are related to higher levels of guilt and stress. The current paper follows up on this research with two aims: First, we examine how mothers regulate pressure toward perfect mothering affectively, cognitively, and behaviorally, and how such regulation may relate to parental burnout. Second, we examine how feeling pressure toward perfect mothering may spill over into mothers' work outcomes. Methods: Through Prolific Academic, an online survey was sent to fulltime working mothers in the United Kingdom and United States with at least one child living at home (N = 169). Data were analyzed using bootstrapping mediation models. Results: Feeling pressure to be a perfect mother was positively related to parental burnout, and this relation was mediated by parental stress, by a stronger cognitive prevention focus aimed at avoiding mistakes as a mother, and by higher maternal gatekeeping behaviors taking over family tasks from one's partner. Moreover, pressure toward perfect mothering had a positive direct effect on career ambitions; and a negative indirect effect, such that mothers with higher felt pressure toward perfect mothering experienced lower work-family balance, which in turn related to lower career ambitions. Conclusion: The findings suggest that intensive mothering norms might have severe costs for women's family and work outcomes, and provide insights into where to direct efforts to reduce motherhood hardships and protect women's career ambitions.

Differences in Parental Burnout: Influence of Demographic Factors and Personality of Parents and Children

Parental burnout is a syndrome related to parenthood and characterized by three dimensions: emotional and physical exhaustion, emotional distancing of parents from their children, and loss of parental accomplishment. Many factors can explain the interindividual differences in parental burnout (Roskam et al., 2017). In a study conducted among 372 French parents, we examined the relationship between parental burnout, demographic factors (age of parent and child(ren), age of parent at first birth, total number of children, and number of children present in the family home) and parent-assessed dispositional factors (personality traits of parent and child(ren)). Results for demographic factors showed that the younger the parents we surveyed, the higher their reported sense of parental accomplishment, although they also tended to feel more exhausted. We observed a similar pattern of results when we looked at the children's ages. In addition, the number of children at home slightly increased the emotional distance between parent and child(ren). Results for the parents' dispositional factors showed that all three personality traits we investigated, as well as their different facets (lack of emotional control and lack of impulse control for neuroticism, meticulousness and perseverance for conscientiousness, and cooperation and friendliness for agreeableness), were related to parental burnout and its three dimensions. More specifically, parental meticulousness and lack of emotional control were both risk factors for developing parental burnout. By contrast, agreeableness and perseverance were protective factors. With regard to the children, the same three personality traits were linked to the three dimensions of parental burnout. Having children they perceived as having a high level of neuroticism reduced parents' sense of parental accomplishment and increased their emotional exhaustion and distancing. The opposite relationships were found for agreeableness and conscientiousness. There were no significant relationships between parental assessments of their children' extraversion and openness and parental burnout and its three dimensions. The parent's personality explained 42.3% of the variance in parental burnout, and the child(ren)'s personality (parent-assessed) explained 13.8%. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of considering the personality of both parents and children in the study of parental burnout.

Parental Burnout: When Exhausted Mothers Open Up

Until recently, research conducted on parental exhaustion was exclusively concerned with parents of sick children. However, situations where exhaustion occurs as a result of being physically and emotionally overwhelmed by one's parental role in the absence of a child's condition is gaining increasing interest. The aim of our study was to give voice to exhausted mothers, in order to get a better understanding of what it means to be exhausted in relation with one's parental role, from the perspective of those who have experienced it. We referred to phenomenological interpretative analysis for methods of data collection and data analysis, and included five mothers who were each interviewed twice. Our analysis revealed a superordinate theme of fear, which was central in every aspect of the mothers' accounts of their experiences, from the fear to not be a good enough mother to the fear related to unlearning control and experiencing discontinuity of one's sense of self. Our results call for the development of specific interventions to prevent, anticipate, or treat the phenomenon of exhaustion in parents, so as to help them and their children cope better with these situations of extreme vulnerability, which are often reinforced by senses of guilt, shame, and loneliness.

Preliminary Validation of Japanese Version of the Parental Burnout Inventory and Its Relationship With Perfectionism

Parenting is a precious experience and also a very hard task, which could result in parental burnout for some parents. The present study sought to validate a Japanese version of the Parental Burnout Inventory (PBI-J) by replicating and extending the pioneering work of Roskam et al. (2017). We conducted a web survey (N = 1200) to first validate the PBI-J and second to investigate the association between the PBI-J and perfectionism as a new interrelation. Similar to the prior study of Roskam et al. (2017), confirmatory factor analysis supported a model of three-factor structure of the PBI-J: emotional exhaustion, lack of personal accomplishment, and emotional distancing. In addition, we found low to moderate correlations of parental burnout with job burnout, parental stress, and depression. These findings provided initial evidence for validity of the PBI-J and suggested that parental burnout appeared to be different from job burnout. Our further evaluation of perfectionism confirmed such a difference between parental and job burnout by showing that parental perfectionism [i.e., combination of parental personal standards (PS) and parental concern over mistakes (CM)] has a unique contribution to parental burnout than does job perfectionism (i.e., combination of job PS and job CM). In addition, CM was positively correlated with burnout in both domains whereas the associations between PS and burnout were more complex. Finally, the proportion of parents experiencing burnout was estimated to lie somewhere between 4.2 and 17.3% in Japan. Overall, the present study confirmed preliminary validity of the PBI-J and found that parental perfectionism is one of the vulnerability factors in parental burnout.

Validity of the Parental Burnout Inventory Among Dutch Employees

The purpose of this study was to validate the Parental Burnout Inventory (PBI) in a Dutch sample of working parents. The Dutch version of the PBI and questionnaires about work were administered to 627 working parents, with at least one child living at home. We investigated whether the tri-dimensional structure of the PBI held in a sample of male and female employed parents. Furthermore, we examined the relationships between PBI and the constructs work-related burnout, depressive mood, parenting stress and work-family conflict, which we assessed with widely used and validated instruments, i.e., emotional exhaustion [a subscale of the Dutch version of Maslach's Burnout Inventory], a Dutch Parental Stress Questionnaire and Work-Family Conflict. The results support the validity of a tri-dimensional parental burnout syndrome, including exhaustion, distancing and inefficacy. Low to moderate correlations between parents' burnout symptoms and professional exhaustion, parenting stress, depressive complaints and work-family conflict experiences were found, suggesting that the concept of PBI differs significantly from the concepts of job burnout, depression and stress, respectively. The current study confirms that some parents are extremely exhausted by their parental role. However, the number of Dutch employees reporting extreme parental burnout is rather low.