Parental burnout and job burnout in working couples: An actor-partner interdependence model.

Abstract

Recently, there has been considerable interest in studying parental burnout. Yet, little is known about the relationship and mechanisms underlying different kinds of burnout nor is much known about the dual-earner contexts within which these processes occur. This study aimed to examine the spillover effect of parental burnout on job burnout and the crossover effect between spouses simultaneously. In addition, the mediating effect of work-family conflict was also examined. By taking the family as a unit, data were collected on three different occasions within dual-earner couples. Participants were middle school students' parents (N = 103 dyads); both were employed; self-employed or working-at-home parents were excluded from the sample. The results of an actor-partner interdependence model revealed that the spillover effect of parental burnout on job burnout and the mediation effect of work-family conflict were significant. In addition, the partner effects were also significant, in which parental burnout significantly affected their spouses' job burnout, directly or indirectly. The results suggest that parental burnout and job burnout are closely related, and individuals should take a comprehensive perspective when dealing with stress or burnout stemming from family or work areas. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).