Multilevel Impact of Parental Burnout on Mothers and Preschool Children

Parental burnout (PB) was examined in 73 Chilean mother–child dyads (N = 73; children 3-5 years, M = 4.2; mothers, all women, M = 37.7). Children were 45 girls and 28 boys; mothers were 61 Chilean and 12 foreign-born. Groups were categorized as high PB (n = 17), at-risk (n = 20), and low PB (n = 36). Analyses adjusted for child age, sex, and maternal nationality. Omnibus effects were large for child hair cortisol (η² = 0.30) and inhibitory control (η² = 0.26). Compared to the low PB group, children of mothers in the high PB group showed higher hair cortisol (g = 1.14, 95% CI [0.53,1.75]) and poorer inhibition (g = −1.85, [−2.52,−1.18]); externalizing problems were higher (g = 1.23, [0.62,1.85]). Mothers with higher PB levels also showed higher hair cortisol (g = 1.36, [0.73, 1.99]). Results indicate significant multilevel associations between PB and children's biological, behavioral and cognitive outcomes.