PARENTAL BURNOUT AMONG MOTHERS: THE ROLE OF COPING STYLES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS
Author(s)
Patrik Bogdán, BSc, MSc1, Katalin Varga, PhD, Habil, DSc2, Szandra KATONA, BSc3, Kristóf GRÓF, MSc1, József Betlehem, PhD, habil.1, Imre Boncz, MSc, PhD, MD4, Annamaria Pakai, MSc, RN, PhD1;
1University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Emergency Care, Pedagogy of Health and Nursing Sciences, Pécs, Hungary, 2ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology Budapest, Institute of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary, 3University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Pécs, Hungary, 4University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health Insurance, Pécs, Hungary
1University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Emergency Care, Pedagogy of Health and Nursing Sciences, Pécs, Hungary, 2ELTE Faculty of Education and Psychology Budapest, Institute of Psychology, Budapest, Hungary, 3University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Pécs, Hungary, 4University of Pécs, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Health Insurance, Pécs, Hungary
OBJECTIVES: Parental burnout is a state of psychological exhaustion arising from chronic parenting-related stress. It is marked by emotional exhaustion, emotional distancing from one’s children, feelings of being overwhelmed, and a perceived sense of inadequacy in the parental role. The present study aimed to examine the associations between coping styles, sociodemographic characteristics, and parental burnout in a Hungarian sample.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 221 mothers raising children aged ten years or younger. Parental burnout was assessed using the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA), while coping strategies were measured with the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ).
RESULTS: Support-seeking coping strategies were associated with lower levels of parental burnout, whereas emotion-focused coping and poorer self-rated health were linked to higher burnout scores (p < .05). Postpartum depressive symptoms showed a strong association with emotional exhaustion and parental contrast, indicating potentially shared underlying psychological mechanisms (p < .05). Sociodemographic variables did not emerge as significant predictors of parental burnout (p > .05).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that parental burnout is predominantly psychological in nature. Strengthening emotional resilience—particularly through mindfulness-based and cognitive-behavioral interventions—may play a crucial role in both the prevention and treatment of parental burnout.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 221 mothers raising children aged ten years or younger. Parental burnout was assessed using the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA), while coping strategies were measured with the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ).
RESULTS: Support-seeking coping strategies were associated with lower levels of parental burnout, whereas emotion-focused coping and poorer self-rated health were linked to higher burnout scores (p < .05). Postpartum depressive symptoms showed a strong association with emotional exhaustion and parental contrast, indicating potentially shared underlying psychological mechanisms (p < .05). Sociodemographic variables did not emerge as significant predictors of parental burnout (p > .05).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that parental burnout is predominantly psychological in nature. Strengthening emotional resilience—particularly through mindfulness-based and cognitive-behavioral interventions—may play a crucial role in both the prevention and treatment of parental burnout.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EPH42
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health
Topic Subcategory
Public Health
Disease
No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, SDC: Pediatrics