Burnout and Mental Health in Working Parents: Risk Factors and Practice Implications - Journal of Pediatric Health Care

Burnout and Mental Health in Working Parents

• Study Overview: This research examines risk factors for burnout among working parents, utilizing a sample size of 1,285 participants.
• Burnout Prevalence: Out of 1,285 participants, 834 (64.9%) reported experiencing burnout, while 451 (35.1%) did not.
• Key Risk Factors (Adjusted Odds Ratios):
  • Parental Anxiety: Parents with anxiety were significantly more likely to experience burnout (aOR 2.20).
  • Child Mental Health: Burnout is strongly associated with children having ADHD (aOR 4.41), anxiety (aOR 2.54), or undiagnosed mental health concerns (aOR 2.82).
  • Family Size: Having more than one child under 18 increases the likelihood of burnout compared to having only one.
• Impact on Parenting Behaviors: Parents experiencing burnout reported higher rates of negative interactions with their children, including:
  • Insulting/Criticizing: Significantly higher in the burnout group, with a marked increase during the pandemic.
  • Screaming/Cursing: Significantly higher in the burnout group, with a 4.00 odds ratio for frequent occurrences compared to the non-burnout group.
• Measurement Tools:
  • 1-item Working Parent Burnout Scale: A 5-point Likert scale ranging from "I enjoy being a working parent" (0 points) to "I feel completely burned out... may need to seek help" (4 points).
  • Standardized Screeners: The study utilized the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) questionnaire.
• Clinical Implications (Discussion Topics):
  • Focus on the "Thinking, feeling, behaving" triangle.
  • Emphasis on self-esteem, positive self-talk, and healthy emotional regulation.
  • Development of structured planning, goal-setting, and problem-solving strategies for parents.
  • Training in coping mechanisms for high-stress situations.