The Role of Family Functioning in the Relationship Between Job Burnout and Parental Burnout in Working Parents: A Moderation Model

Research has underscored the interconnection between work and family domains, showing that an imbalance between demands and resources can lead to job and parental burnout. Our study examined the moderating role of family functioning in the association between job burnout and parental burnout among working parents in Italy. Drawing on Olson's Circumplex Model, balanced family functioning was conceptualized as optimal levels of cohesion and flexibility, reflecting a well-regulated family dynamic. Three-hundred-nine working parents of children aged 0-18 completed a survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, job burnout, parental burnout, and family functioning. Results indicate that parental burnout was positively related to job burnout and negatively to family functioning. Simple slope analyses showed that the association between job and parental burnout progressively weakened as family functioning increased and became non-significant beyond a specific threshold. Our findings highlight the clinical value of balanced family functioning's buffering effect on work-family stress processes.