The socio-demographic risk factors for parental burnout in Togo

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to assess the level of parental burnout in Togo and to examine his association with other socio-demographic variables. It is an investigation that took place alongside the International Investigation of Parental Burnout (IIPB).

Method

Using the Parental Burnout Assessment, 103 parents in Lomé and Tsévié were asked to respond on paper or online questionnaires.

Results

The results highlighted the low rate of parental burnout among participants and significant associations between parental burnout and the socio-demographic variables. This study suggests that having a high level of education, being male and having very young children are the protective factors against parental burnout. However, few indications were found to establish a relationship between parental burnout and variables like age, ethnic origin, number of children, number of men and women living at home, neighbourhood, or having a paid professional activity.

Conclusion

Far from being revealing, this study earns to be investigated deeply in much more robust other studies to identify the protective and risk factors for Togolese parents. In any case, burnout prevention programs in countries (especially in the West) with the highest prevalence of parental burnout should learn from the parenting practices of countries with low levels of parental burnout like in Togo.

Key Points

What is already known about this topic:

• (1) Parenting is a universal activity that can be stressful for many parents.

• (2) As child rearing is a collective and social activity, it is the responsibility not only of the family, but also of members of the same neighbourhood, village or ethnic group.

• (3) The reconfiguration of the family structure (nuclearization) underway in West Africa and Togo limits the role of grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins in parenting, leaving biological parents alone to deal with the emotional and material needs of children.

What this topic adds:

• (1) This study presents the local situation regarding parental burnout in Togo as part of studies initiated by the International Investigation of Parental Burnout (IIPB).

• (2) The results of this study highlight the low rate of parental burnout in Togo.

• (3) They also suggest that in Togo, having a high level of education, being male and having very young children are protective factors against parental burnout.

• (4) This study suggests that burnout prevention programs in Western (individualistic) countries where the prevalence of parental burnout is highest should be inspired by parenting practices in (collectivistic) countries where the level of parental burnout is low.

KEYWORDS:

• Parental burnout
• parenting
• extended family
• level of education
• gender
• Togo

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The authors declare the availability of data on request https://osf.io/2nhrq?view_only=a6cf12803887476cb5e7f17cfb8b5ca2.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/20590776.2023.2198084.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Bourse de Doctorat de l’UCLouvain (2019) .