Parental Burnout and Emotion Regulation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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

Abstract

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically increased stress levels worldwide, particularly among parents who face lockdowns, home schooling, social distancing, and the threat (and reality) of sickness. These restrictions are likely to increase parental burnout during this time. In addition to parental burnout influencing parents’ psychological well-being, it can also influence children’s safety, as it was associated with neglectful and violent behaviors towards one’s children. However, not all parents react in the same way to this new situation, suggesting there might be an intervening variable in this relation. One mechanism that may moderate the harmful impact of unavoidable stress associated with COVID-19 is emotion regulation (ER). ER is the processes by which one influences which emotions are experienced, and how intensely these emotions are experienced and expressed. Adaptive ER is critical to parenting, as parents often need to be regulated themselves, while attending to their children6. ER difficulties has been previously related to harsh parenting practices such as overreactive disciplinary behaviors7 and higher maternal rejection8. Therefore, we will study the associations between the COVID-19 related stress and parental burnout, as well as the moderating role of ER on this association.
Method. Participants included 1195 parents (1082 mothers), who were asked about their overall negative emotions regarding the COVID-19 situation and the extent to which they use ER strategies in negative situations with their children (e.g., suppression, reappraisal, distraction). They rated their replies on a Likert-type scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 7 (very much). Parents also filled out the Parental Burnout Assessment10.
Results. The association between negative emotions towards COVID-19 and parental burnout was moderate (r = .36, p < .01). Bootstrapping methods were employed to test the moderating effect of ER on this association. Cognitive reappraisal (b = -0.92, CI[-1.74, -0.06]) and distraction (b = -0.83, CI[-1.63,-0.02]), which are considered adaptive ER strategies, significantly moderated this association; parents who felt negative emotions but used these ER strategies experienced lower degrees of parental burnout compared to parents who used these strategies to a lesser degree. In comparison, rumination (b = 0.16, CI[-0.61, 0.95]) and suppression (b = -0.22,CI[-1.02, 0.59]), which are considered maladaptive ER strategies did not moderate the association between COVID-19 negativity and parental burnout.
Discussion. At a time when children spend more time at home with their parents, it is crucial to identify risk and resilience factors for children’s well-being and safety. Results indicate that adaptive ER acts as a protective factor for parental burnout. This is of great value for professionals who work with parents to improve children’s welfare in general, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in particular.

Authors

• Dana Vertsberger
  Presenting Author

• Anat Talmon, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author

• James Gross, Stanford University
  Non-Presenting Author