EPV850 - Maternal burnout dynamics: identifying most vulnerable groups
EPV850
Maternal burnout dynamics: identifying most vulnerable groups
E. Polonetskaya 1,*, E. Pervichko 1
1Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation
Introduction: While the first months of motherhood are traditionally considered to be the most challenging ones, it is essentially to scientifically research and understand the dynamics of the maternal burnous so the family members, the health professionals and the social services are warned accordingly.
Objectives: Our research was aimed at studying the association between maternal burnout and the age of the mother, as well as burnout dynamics during the first years of motherhood.
Methods: A maternal burnout questionnaire in Russian (the Maternal Burnout Assessment Tool, MBAT), being an adaptation of the Burnout Assessment Tool to the motherhood context, was used to assess burnout tendencies in mothers. The sample consisted of 792 Russian-speaking mothers with children up to seven years of age. Single-factor analysis of variance was used for data analysis (Kruskal-Wallis test).
Results: As shown in Table 1 below, our research demonstrates that the highest level of the mean emotional impairment score (being one of the burnout symptoms) is associated with the youngest group of mothers. No further associations of the mother’s age with the burnout symptoms were discovered.
Table 1
Mother’s age |
Younger than 25 |
From 25 to 30 |
From 31 to 35 |
From 36 to 40 |
Older than 40 |
p |
|
Emotional impairment |
3.07 |
2.78 |
2.94 |
2.99 |
2.79 |
0.015 |
As shown in Table 2 below by the mean scores, our research demonstrates that burnout symptoms accumulate and strengthen over time.
Table 2
Child’s age |
Younger than 6 months |
From 6 months to 1 year |
From 1 year to 1 year and 6 months |
From 1 year and 6 months to 3 years |
From 3 years to 7 years |
p |
|
Burnout |
2.51 |
2.53 |
2.27 |
2.77 |
2.77 |
<.001 |
|
Exhaustion |
2.82 |
2.87 |
2.92 |
3.18 |
3.12 |
<.001 |
|
Distancing |
1.98 |
1.93 |
2.07 |
2.21 |
2.18 |
0.007 |
|
Emotional impairment |
2.84 |
2.83 |
2.79 |
3.08 |
3.02 |
0.005 |
Conclusions: Based on the above, attention should be paid by the supporting caregivers and health professionals involved to the mothers mothers irrespective of their age and to mothers with children aged upwards of one and a half years as the most vulnerable group. Research on samples of mothers with schoolchildren and adult children is advisable.
Disclosure of Interest: None Declared