Trajektoria cierpienia matki wypalonej rodzicielsko: Podejście biograficzne

Paulina Puszcz

doi:10.36578/bp.2026.11.12

Published : 2026-10-16

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026)

The Trajectory of Suffering in a Parentally Burned-out Mother

A Biographical Approach

Paulina Puszcz

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0495-400X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36578/bp.2026.11.12

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of parental burnout from a biographical perspective, focusing on the analysis of the trajectory of suffering experienced by a mother. The research was conducted within the interpretative paradigm, using an autobiographical narrative interview and the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The empirical material was analyzed with reference to Fritz Schütze’s concept of the trajectory of suffering and the scheme of narrative-biographical data analysis. The results indicate that the experience of parental burnout can be interpreted as a trajectory of suffering, characterized by a sequence of phases: from the accumulation of crisis potential, through destabilization and the breakdown of everyday functioning, to theoretical and practical attempts at working through the experiences. Symptoms reconstructed from the narrative correspond to the four dimensions of parental burnout measurement, which strengthens the credibility of the interpretation. The narrative also reveals mechanisms of risk (perfectionism, lack of partner support, cultural pressure) and protective factors (therapy, partial rebuilding of resources, attempts at reorganizing daily life). The article is based on an in-depth case study analysis; therefore, it does not allow for statistical generalizations but provides practical implications. The conclusions emphasize the need to combine quantitative diagnosis with biographical analysis, which allows for a deeper understanding of the subjective dimension of parental burnout. The article contributes to pedagogy and counseling by pointing to the potential of applying elements of design thinking in work with parents experiencing burnout as a method supporting the recovery of agency and a sense of meaning in the parental role.

Keywords:

parental burnout, trajectory of suffering, autobiographical narrative interview, biographical approach

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Puszcz, P. (2026). The Trajectory of Suffering in a Parentally Burned-out Mother: A Biographical Approach. Biografistyka Pedagogiczna [Biographical Studies in Education], 11(1), 333–364. https://doi.org/10.36578/bp.2026.11.12

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