I am not the parent I should be: Cross-sectional and prospective associations between parental self-discrepancies and parental burnout. Issue 4 (19th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roskam, Isabelle; Philippot, Pierre; Gallée, Laura; Verhofstadt, Lesley; Soenens, Bart; Goodman, Alicia; Mikolajczak, Moïra
• Is Part Of: Self and identity. Volume 21:Issue 4(2022)
• Page Start: 430
• Page End: 455
• Publication Date: 2022-05-19
• Subjects: Gap -- self -- exhaustion -- psychopathology -- psychological disorder; Self -- Periodicals; Identity (Psychology) -- Periodicals; Cognition -- Periodicals; Motivation (Psychology) -- Periodicals; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2021.1939773
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1529-8868

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Because research has shown systematic associations between self-discrepancies and several psychological disorders, self-discrepancy is considered as a transdiagnostic factor in psychopathology. The current research contributes to the literature by testing both cross-sectionally and longitudinally the role of self-discrepancies in parental burnout, an exhaustion disorder in the parenting domain where standards are high and prescriptions numerous. In three studies (including a prospective one; N1 = 109, N2 = 1689, N3 Third measurement time = 553 parents), we showed that self-discrepancies are strongly associated with parental burnout, and Study 3 showed that they even predict rank-order increases in such burnout. These results have implications for research on self-discrepancies, parental burnout and psychopathology more broadly.