More or Less? Prevalence Rates of Parental Burnout Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Parenting in a Pandemic World: A Spotlight on Parental Burnout

Abstract

Theoretical background: The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the lockdown measures have an enormous impact on all people’s lives around the globe. As schools close and workplaces go remote to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, parents might struggle to keep children healthy and occupied and help with homeschooling during the lockdown. This may increase parental stress and can even lead to parental burnout.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to gain insight into buffering and negative reinforcing effects of the COVID-19 crisis and containment measures on mean levels and prevalence rates of parental burnout in various countries across the globe. This real-time data collection enables us to compare (prevalence rates) of parental burnout during a stressful period with rates collected in over 40 countries in the year before the COVID-19 crisis. Based on the findings of the previous study in which parents from individualistic countries seem particularly exposed to higher levels of parental burnout, we specifically focus on the influence of cultural factors and the effect of different governmental measures on parental burnout levels.

Methods: Data were collected in 20 countries during several months of the corona-crisis, between March and September 2020. Parents answered (online) questionnaires measuring parents’, children’s and family characteristics and questions about parenting stress. Data were analyzed by multilevel analyses.

Initial Results & discussion: Prevalence rates of parental burnout in different countries ranged between 0.4% and 9.2% during lockdown and the corona crisis. In the majority of countries, the prevalence rates of parental burnout were significantly higher compared to the rates of the first study in 2019, suggesting that the lockdown with limited social contact and higher pressure on parents places parents at risk for burnout symptoms. Similar to the previous study, results show that parents in more individualistic countries show higher levels of parental burnout.
 

Authors

• Hedwig van Bakel, Tilburg University
  Presenting Author

• Ruby Hall, Tilburg University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Coco Bastiaansen, Tilburg University
  Non-Presenting Author