18/02/2026
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Parental burnout has been proposed as resulting from a persistent imbalance between stress-enhancing factors (demands/risk factors) and stress-alleviating factors (resources/protective factors). Parents of children with complex care needs (CCN) face this imbalance more often than parents in general. To address this, we need to know which factors are considered risky and protective for burnout from the perspectives of parents of children with CCN. To facilitate targeted interventions, this study sought to explore both risk and protective factors associated with burnout as perceived by parents of children with CCN.
Semi-structured interviews with 38 parents revealed that parents ascribed burnout to unique combinations of risk and protective factors. Notably, these factors extended beyond the personal sphere to encompass societal structures that current conceptual models for dealing with burnout often ignore. From the perspective of parents, broad multisystem approaches to address parental burnout would likely appear most relevant.
🌟 CanChild Co-author: Marjolijn Ketelaar
🔗 Read more: https://ow.ly/7YkS50YgJSn
