Maternal Burnout in Deep East Texas: An Exploratory Study

Background and Purpose:
Maternal burnout poses serious risks for both mothers and children, including heightened risk of child abuse, mental health challenges, and poor developmental outcomes (Griffith, 2022; Guo et al., 2024; Mikolajczak et al., 2018). Rurality compounds this issue due to limited access to resources and support systems (Baney et al., 2022; Robinson et al., 2017). Maternal burnout is characterized by exhaustion, guilt, emotional distancing, inefficacy, and disconnection from one’s previous parental self (Mikolajczak et al., 2018; Roskam et al., 2018; Sanchez-Rodriguez et al., 2020). While international research is growing, there is limited U.S.-based data—especially from rural areas like Deep East Texas (DET).
This study uses a social work lens and explanatory sequential design to examine how rurality, poverty, mental health, and social support contribute to maternal burnout in DET. Results will inform a contextually responsive intervention model.

Research Questions:

1. What impact does social support have on maternal burnout in DET?

2. What are the effects of rurality on mothers experiencing burnout in DET?

3. Is there a relationship between poverty and maternal burnout in DET?

4. How does mental health influence maternal burnout in DET?

Methods:
This study (N = 117) uses a cross-sectional explanatory sequential design grounded in intervention research. In Phase I, a self-report survey was administered to mothers aged 18 and older with at least one child aged 0–17 living at home. Participants were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling in DET. Validated measures included parental burnout (PBA, ⍺ = .95), social support (MSPSS, ⍺ = .94), depression (PHQ-9, ⍺ = .88), and anxiety (GAD-2, ⍺ = .86). Rurality will be measured using the Community Assets and Relative Rurality (CARR) index, and poverty status determined based on federal guidelines for income and family size.
Phase II will involve semi-structured interviews developed from top-rated survey items. Quantitative and qualitative data will be integrated to better understand lived experiences and guide intervention development.

Results:
Preliminary analysis indicates that maternal burnout is a significant concern in DET. Among participants, 39% reported experiencing moderate burnout, and 20% reported severe burnout. Despite this, 61% of mothers perceived themselves as having high levels of social support. Most participants were between the ages of 28 and 43, and 81% resided in Nacogdoches County, with others from surrounding rural areas. Racial/ethnic identities included White (79.5%), Hispanic (8.5%), and smaller proportions identifying as Black, Asian, Native American, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. Employment status and education levels varied across the sample.

Conclusions and Implications:
Findings confirm the presence of moderate to severe maternal burnout in DET, despite the perception of strong social support among most participants. This suggests the need to explore the quality, accessibility, and responsiveness of available support systems. Next steps include advanced statistical analysis, 30 in-depth interviews, and the design and pilot of a tailored intervention. The study contributes to rural social work research and has implications for mental health practice, family policy, and maternal wellness initiatives in underserved communities.