The Effect of Mother's Health Promoting Behavior for Infants and Toddlers on Parenting Burnout

This research was performed to examine the levels of health promotion behavior of mothers for their infants and toddlers and of parenting burnout of those mothers, and the relationship between health promotion behavior and parenting burnout. The research objects of this research were 106 mothers who were rearing infants and toddlers from 1 month old to 36 months old, and visited a medical center for children and adolescents located in Chungbuk province. Data for this study was collected from February 1, 2014 to March 30, 2014. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the elements affecting parenting burnout. Correlation analysis between health promotion behavior and parenting burnout revealed that there is significant and negative relationship between the two variables. When a mother rears her child, emotion- and health-related information provided by her neighbors gives emotional support and psychological stability, leading her to do health promoting behavior properly. Based on the findings of the analysis, this research suggests that it is necessary to develop health promotion programs for infants and toddlers, and to find ways to reduce parenting burnout.