Exploring the Sociological, Psychological, and Mental Public Health Dynamics of Female U.S. Military Spouses Who Experience Parental Burnout

Parental burnout among U.S. military spouses remains an underexamined mental health concern despite the cumulative stressors associated with military family life. Although women comprise only approximately 17.9% of the U.S. active-duty force, the overwhelming majority of military spouses are women. Consequently, the cumulative psychological and economic consequences of family relocations and military family life fall disproportionately on women, reflecting both the gender composition of the military spouse population and persistent societal expectations surrounding caregiving and household labor. This qualitative study explored how 11 female military spouses who are parents experienced emotional exhaustion, psychological strain, and diminished well-being in the context of permanent change of station relocations, deployment-related separations, disrupted employment, childcare instability, and limited support. Using a two-phase consensus-informed design, participants first completed individual written reflections and then engaged in a moderated focus group to refine shared meanings. Thematic analysis identified chronic emotional exhaustion, emotional suppression, anxiety and hypervigilance, identity loss, guilt, self-blame, cognitive overload, sleep disturbance, isolation, depressive symptoms, and system-level support needs. Findings suggest that parental burnout is not merely an individual coping failure but a predictable outcome of sustained structural demands. The study highlights the need for proactive mental health care, reliable childcare, leadership awareness, flexible 37 policies, and sustained peer support.