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Parental burnout is commonly experienced by new mothers and fathers.

A risk factor for burnout-related behavior is feeling overwhelmed and undersupported.

Recognizing red flags of negative emotion helps new parents seek help sooner.

Becoming a parent is one of the most precious, rewarding experiences in life. It can also be both exhilarating and terrifying for new parents who feel overwhelmed and undersupported. Many are juggling childcare with jobs, other family responsibilities, errands, and making ends meet. In some cases, due to their circumstances, parents may be uniquely susceptible to negative parenting practices leading to dysfunctional relationships with children. Research explains.

Katherine M. Ryan et al. (2026) explored the impact of parental burnout within families who are at risk of child neglect or abuse.[i] They define parental burnout as including feelings of exhaustion, emotional distancing from children, and experiencing a decline in the capacity to effectively parent. Ryan et al. distinguish parental burnout from the stress of daily parenting and parent mental health by its association with the perception of overwhelming demands paired with insufficient coping resources.

Far from being unusual, Ryan et al. note........

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