Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined emotional distancing (ED) from children among 231 parents of high school students at Nguyen Van Linh High School in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam, using the ED subscale of the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA). The results showed a mean ED score of 2.33 (SD = 1.66) on a scale ranging from 0 to 6. The most prominent manifestation was difficulty finding time to spend with children beyond routine caregiving activities (M = 2.45; SD = 1.84). ED levels differed significantly by age (p = 0.012) and educational attainment (p = 0.004), but not by gender, occupation, or the number of children currently attending high school. Drawing on the Balance between Risks and Resources (BR²) model, this study provides empirical evidence to support the early identification of parents who may need psychological support, thereby helping improve interactions between families and schools.

Keywords: Emotional distancing, parental burnout, parents of high school students, parental burnout assessment (PBA).