Page 68 - IJPS-9-3

International Journal of
Population Studies COVID-19 effects on parent burnout

Table 4. Predictors of parent burnout
Sequential linear regressions Predictive variables B (b) SH Beta t p
1 Constant (a) 1.135 1.695 0.669 0.503
Emotional instability 0.511 0.073 0.278 6.992 0.000
R =0.077; F = 48.894; P=0.000
2
(1,582)
2 Constant (a) 12.057 3.491 3.454 0.001
Emotional instability 0.505 0.072 0.275 6.972 0.000
Conscientiousness −0.543 0.152 −0.141 −3.568 0.000
R =0.116; F = 38.277; P=0.000
2
(2,581)
3 Constant (a) 7.790 3.800 2.050 0.041
Emotional instability 0.459 0.074 0.250 6.221 0.000
Conscientiousness −0.479 0.153 −0.124 −3.127 0.002
Introversion 0.398 0.144 0.112 2.760 0.006
Notes: R =0.128; F = 23.647; P=0.000.
2
(3,580)
Past studies have presented results highlighting the However, our findings did not concur with the findings
gender differences in parent burnout. Besides, the studies by Arıkan et al. (2020) and Mikolajzcak et al. (2020), who
revealing that there are no gender differences in parent found that parent burnout did not differ according to the
burnout (Arıkan et al., 2020; Roskam et al., 2017); several age of the parent. Sorkkila & Aunola (2020) suggested
studies showed that it differs according to gender (Roskam that a mismatch between the need for freedom and the
& Mikolajczak, 2020; Sorkkila & Aunola, 2020). Compared responsibilities of family life may lead to burnout for young
to the study conducted by Arıkan et al. (2020), the burnout parents. Considering that the present study was conducted
level of mothers was found to be higher in our study. during COVID-19 pandemic, younger participants may
This may be because our study was conducted during the have been affected by COVID-19 regulations and social
COVID19 pandemic. State-imposed COVID-19 lockdown isolation by a larger extent, since their freedom was
measures likely increased levels of parent burnout and restricted. Furthermore, lower levels of burnout afflicting
parents had to deal with both home, work, and school the older parents suggest that maturity and expertise in
duties and more all at the same time (Bastiaansen et al., parenting may be protective factors against parent burnout.
2021). The increase in the number of people working In the present study, we also found that the number
from home during the pandemic, the closure of schools, of children of the participants did not have a significant
and the shutdown of workplaces reduced the external impact on the level of parent burnout. This finding is
support (nursery, caregiver, family elders, etc.), placing congruent with other studies highlighting that the level of
more burdens and responsibilities related to housework parent burnout does not differ according to the number of
and childcare on the parents. On the other hand, it was children (Arıkan et al., 2020; Yönel, 2021). There are also
observed that fathers’ involvement in housework and studies showing that burnout increases as the number of
childcare increased slightly, but most of the burden was children increases (Kawamoto et al., 2018; Roskam et al.,
on women who had already done most of the housework 2018). In some studies conducted during the pandemic,
before the quarantine began (Farre et al., 2020). Similar to it was found that the burnout level increased with the
the present study, in some studies conducted during the number of children (Bastiaansen et al., 2021; Parlak, 2021).
COVID-19 period, mothers’ parent burnout was found to Although the existing literature suggests that the number of
be at a higher level (Bastiaansen et al., 2021). Therefore, children may be a risk factor for parent burnout, especially
this suggests that mothers with an increased burden during during the pandemic, it seems that the same effect is not
the pandemic experienced higher levels of burnout. in question for the participants in the present study. The
Our results showed that the level of burnout among support environment created by the whole family being at
the parents aged 46 – 61 was lower than that among the home together and the sharing of responsibilities with the
parents aged 25 – 35. This result is in line with the findings spouse and other children may negate the impact of the
of studies conducted in Japan (Kawamoto et al., 2018) number of children on the parent burnout level. The lack of
and France (Le Vigouroux & Scola, 2018), which showed consistency between studies in the findings regarding the
that parent burnout was associated with younger age. relationship between the number of children and parent

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 62 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.387