The Effects of Stress Vulnerability and Parental Burnout on Mental Health in Women with Early School-Age Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Effect of Spirituality

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the effects of stress vulnerability and parental burnout on the mental health of women with early schoolaged children, with a focus on the mediating role of spirituality. Methods: A survey was conducted among 171 women with early schoolaged children in Gyeonggi Province, Gangwon Province, and Seoul. Data were collected from September to December 2022 using the Korean-Symptom Check List 95, the Parental Burnout Assessment, and the Spirituality Assessment Scale. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with SPSS/WIN 22.0 and AMOS 20.0. Results: The study model demonstrated a good fit, explaining 40.5% of the variance in mental health through stress vulnerability, parental burnout, and spirituality. Spirituality had a significant direct impact on mental health. Additionally, participants’ spirituality directly influenced their mental health, while stress vulnerability and parental burnout indirectly affected their mental health and were mediated through spirituality. Conclusion: Stress vulnerability and parental burnout are negatively associated with mental health, while spirituality partially mediates these effects. Implementing a program to promote spirituality is suggested to assist mothers in recognizing the value and meaning of parenting activities during nursing interventions for mental health.