Parental stress determinants in French mothers and fathers: the Evane 2024 survey

Abstract Background In 2024, the French public health agency launched Evane, the first survey to explore the determinants of parenting experiences and practices among mothers and fathers of children aged 0 to 2 years, in mainland France. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's model, Belsky and Jaffee's model on parenting determinants, and Abidin's parental stress model, Evane examines the relationships between parental, child-related, and contextual factors, with comparisons by gender. This abstract presents gender-stratified analyses of parental stress. Methods Evane is a cross-sectional survey using one-stage random sampling stratified by income and gender. It was conducted among a representative sample of parents in mainland France. The study Evane received the Public statistic's label of general interest and statistical quality (10th July 2024), and participation was declared compulsory under ministerial visa n°2024X070SA. Data collection ended in December 2024. We examined associations between explanatory variables and stress (≥ 4 vs < 4 stressing situations on 6) separately by parent gender, then using bivariate logistic regressions, with interaction terms between explanatory variables and parental gender. Multivariate analyses of parental stress are currently underway. Results Of the 23,254 parents invited to participate, the overall response rate was just over 50%. Preliminary analysis shows that parental stress was higher among individuals in their thirties, highly educated, born in France, employed, facing financial difficulties, with limited partner support (baby care and household chores), and with low social support. Associations were stronger among mothers with a university degree, and mothers with low social support. Conclusions Preliminary findings on parental stress align with the literature. The Evane survey provides a better understanding of early parenting and gender-related experiences of stress. The findings can help shape public policies favorable to French parents. Key messages • The Evane survey provides detailed insights into the determinants of parental stress in early childhood. • Partner and social support influence parental stress, especially for mothers, pointing the way for policies to support parents of young children better.