Using the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model to predict parental burnout.

Abstract

Parental burnout is a multifaceted syndrome resulting from excessive stress in the parenting role. Despite experiencing similar parenting stressors, not all parents experience burnout. Could the difference in rewards contribute to explaining this seeming paradox? This longitudinal study (N = 1,301) explored the relevance of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model as an alternative etiological theory of parental burnout. The findings substantiate most of the hypotheses derived from the ERI model: higher levels of effort, overcommitment, and ERI were positively associated with parental burnout, and higher rewards were linked to lower levels of burnout. Overcommitment moderated the relation between ERI and parental burnout, but surprisingly, this association was stronger under conditions of low overcommitment compared to high overcommitment. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing effort and/or enhancing rewards could potentially mitigate parental burnout. Further research is required to elucidate the role of overcommitment in parenting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).