From Chronic Parenting Stress to Parental Burnout: A Systematic Review of Risk, Resources, and Social Support

This systematic review examines the relationship between chronic parenting stress and parental burnout, with particular attention to risk factors, resources, and sources of support that may shape this relationship. The review focuses on parents of children aged 0–18 years and includes quantitative empirical studies that assess parenting stress and parental burnout using validated measures. The review addresses the question: How does chronic parenting stress contribute to parental burnout? It distinguishes parenting stress from parental burnout while examining evidence concerning their association, temporal relationship, and the extent to which the existing literature captures the chronic or persistent nature of parenting stress. The review also examines factors that may account for or alter the stress–burnout relationship, including resilience, parenting self-efficacy, marital and family resources, coping strategies, social support, and relevant contextual characteristics. Eligible studies are synthesized narratively because of differences in study designs, measures, populations, and statistical approaches. Particular attention is given to the strength and direction of reported associations, evidence from temporally separated designs, mediation and moderation findings, and methodological limitations affecting interpretation. Risk of bias and study characteristics are also considered when evaluating the evidence. The expected outcome of the review is an evidence-based synthesis of what is currently known about the relationship between parenting stress and parental burnout, including the strength and limitations of the available evidence. The review also aims to identify gaps in the measurement of chronic parenting stress and clarify how individual, relational, and social resources have been examined in relation to parental burnout. These findings are intended to inform future longitudinal research and the development of more precise approaches to studying chronic parenting stress, parental burnout, and potentially protective sources of support.