Maternal Self-Efficacy: A Buffer against Burnout in the Storms of Parent-Child Interactions
Subject Areas : Psychology
Mahnoush Karami
1
,
Seyyedeh Fatemeh Mousavi
2
,
Shohre Rowshani
3
*
1 - Department of Women Studies, Faculty of Woman and Family, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
2 - Department of Psychology, Women Research Center, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Parental self-efficacy, Parent-child relationships, Parental burnout, mothers,
Abstract :
This study aimed to examine the mediating role of parental self-efficacy in the relationship between parent–child interactions and parental burnout among Iranian mothers. The research design was descriptive and correlational. The statistical population consisted of mothers with children, and 305 participants were selected using a voluntary convenience sampling method. The instruments included the Persian short form of the Parental Burnout Scale (Mousavi et al., 2025), the Parent–Child Relationship Scale (CPRS), and the Parental Self-Efficacy Measure (PSAM). Data were analyzed using correlation and mediation analysis. The results indicated significant relationships between the dimensions of parent–child interactions (closeness and conflict), parental self-efficacy, and parental burnout (p < .01). Mediation analysis revealed that parental self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationships between closeness and conflict with parental burnout, such that greater closeness and lower conflict reduced burnout through higher self-efficacy. These findings suggest that enhancing the quality of parent–child interactions and strengthening parental self-efficacy can serve as effective strategies for preventing parental burnout among Iranian mothers and provide a foundation for the development of targeted, evidence-based family interventions.
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