"Spread too thin": Parents' experiences of burnout during COVID-19 in Australia

ABSTRACT

Objective: We aimed to investigate parental burnout (PB) within an Australian context during COVID-19. Background: Little is known about how the increase in the parental burden created by COVID-19 restrictions has affected parents and whether this has resulted in increased PB. Method: A mixed-methods approach examined PB in a sample of Australian parents (N = 403) during COVID-19. Regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of PB, and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to compare PB scores to scores collected prior to COVID-19. Thematic analysis was used to understand the qualitative experience of parenting during lockdowns. Results: PB scores obtained during COVID-19 were significantly higher than pre-COVID-19, and prevalence of PB almost doubled. Age of the parent was the most significant predictor of PB, although gender of the parent, average age of children, and number of children were also predictors on the PB subscales. Qualitatively, parents reported increased stress and a loss of coping mechanisms during lockdown, and this commonly led to negative outcomes. Conclusion: Results suggest that parents struggled to cope with the additional responsibilities and the reductions to resources created by COVID-19 restrictions. Implications These findings support researchers globally who call for interventions that support parents during periods of COVID-19 restrictions.