A1 Journal article (refereed)
Three reasons why parental burnout is more prevalent in individualistic countries : a mediation study in 36 countries (2023)
Roskam, I., Aguiar, J., Akgun, E., Arena, A. F., Arikan, G., Aunola, K., Besson, E., Beyers, W., Boujut, E., Brianda, M. E., Brytek-Matera, A., Budak, A. M., Carbonneau, N., César, F., Chen, B.-B., Dorard, G., dos Santos Elias, L. C., Dunsmuir, S., Egorova, N., . . . Mikolajczak, M. (2023). Three reasons why parental burnout is more prevalent in individualistic countries : a mediation study in 36 countries. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-023-02487-z
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Roskam, Isabelle; Aguiar, Joyce; Akgun, Ege; Arena, Andrew F.; Arikan, Gizem; Aunola, Kaisa; Besson, Eliane; Beyers, Wim; Boujut, Emilie; Brianda, Maria Elena; et al.
Journal or series: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
ISSN: 0933-7954
eISSN: 1433-9285
Publication year: 2023
Publication date: 17/05/2023
Volume: Early online
Publisher: Springer
Publication country: Germany
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-023-02487-z
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Abstract
The prevalence of parental burnout, a condition that has severe consequences for both parents and children, varies dramatically across countries and is highest in Western countries characterized by high individualism.
Method
In this study, we examined the mediators of the relationship between individualism measured at the country level and parental burnout measured at the individual level in 36 countries (16,059 parents).
Results
The results revealed three mediating mechanisms, that is, self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, high agency and self-directed socialization goals, and low parental task sharing, by which individualism leads to an increased risk of burnout among parents.
Conclusion
The results confirm that the three mediators under consideration are all involved, and that mediation was higher for self-discrepancies between socially prescribed and actual parental selves, then parental task sharing, and lastly self-directed socialization goals. The results provide some important indications of how to prevent parental burnout at the societal level in Western countries.
Keywords: parents; parenthood; exhaustion; managing; cultural differences; cultural dependence; individualism; Western countries; international comparison
Free keywords: exhaustion; culture; individualism; mothers; fathers
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2023
Preliminary JUFO rating: 2
