Parenting Fatigue, Sexual Intimacy, and Religious Coping Strategies: A Critical Review

Authors

  • Stuti Agrawal Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9198-4469
  • Anubhuti Dubey Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47679/jopp.7210862025

Keywords:

Coping, Literature review, Marital Satisfaction, Parenting Fatigue, Sexual intimacy

Abstract

Parenting fatigue is a multifaceted phenomenon characterized by chronic physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion stemming from the unrelenting demands of raising children. This critical review synthesizes empirical findings on the intersections of parenting fatigue, sexual intimacy, and religious coping strategies, with particular attention to cultural and gender dynamics. Results consistently indicate that elevated levels of parenting fatigue correlate with decreased marital satisfaction, diminished libido, and weakened emotional connectivity between partners, often intensifying the risk of long-term relational and mental health complications. Although religious coping—through prayer, communal worship, and faith-based practices—can alleviate stress and bolster resilience, its effectiveness varies significantly across cultural contexts and personal beliefs. Many studies highlight a bias toward traditional family structures and maternal experiences, signalling a shortage of research on fathers, non-traditional families, and diverse religious or spiritual frameworks. The review also uncovers methodological gaps, including limited longitudinal research, insufficient cross-cultural comparisons, and an overemphasis on adverse outcomes to the neglect of positive dimensions such as marital resilience and spiritual growth. Overall, this paper advocates for more inclusive, longitudinal, and culturally sensitive investigations and integrated interventions addressing mental and sexual health. By illuminating the complexity of parenting fatigue and its ripple effects on sexual intimacy and coping mechanisms, this review offers valuable insights for designing culturally attuned mental health and family interventions that holistically support parents and couples. Clinicians can leverage this evidence to develop integrative therapeutic approaches, while policymakers can use it to inform inclusive programs that strengthen diverse family structures—promoting both psychological well-being and relational health.

Author Biographies

Stuti Agrawal, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University

Stuti Agrawal is a Ph.D. Research Scholar in the Department of Psychology at DDU Gorakhpur University. Her research focuses on the relationship between Triguna, religious beliefs, coping strategies, and intimacy in heterosexual marriages. She has qualified GATE and NET-JRF and has experience working as a Counseling Psychologist with various organizations.

Anubhuti Dubey, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University

Anubhuti Dubey is a Professor of Psychology and Dean of Students’ Welfare at DDU Gorakhpur University. She has authored five books, published 60+ research papers, and supervised 15 Ph.D. scholars. Her expertise lies in Health Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Counseling, and she is the Editor of Mind and Society. The U.P. government has honoured her as Shakti Yodhya for her contributions.

References

Ahlborg, T., & Strandmark, M. (2006). The baby was the focus of attention—First-time parents’ experiences of their intimate relationship. Journal of Family Nursing, 12(2), 202–221. https://doi.org/10.1177/1074840706289616

Anderson, K., & van Ee, E. (2018). Mothers and children exposed to intimate partner violence: A review of treatment interventions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(9), 1955. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15091955

Bachoua, S., Hamamah, S., & Scalici, E. (2015). Male infertility: An obstacle to sexuality? Basic and Clinical Andrology, 25(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12610-015-0019-y

Baranowski, M. D., & Hibbert, S. H. (2021). Beyond exhaustion: Exploring the interplay between parenting fatigue and marital intimacy. Family Relations, 70(2), 238–249. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12512

Basson, R., & Gilks, T. (2018). Women’s sexual dysfunction associated with psychiatric disorders and their treatment. Women’s Health, 14, 1745506518762664. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745506518762664

Belsky, J. (1984). The determinants of parenting: A process model. Child Development, 55(1), 83–96. https://doi.org/10.2307/1129836

Benjamins, M. R., & Brown, C. (2004). Religion and preventative health care utilization among the elderly. Social Science & Medicine, 58(1), 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(03)00152-7

Bowleg, L. (2012). The problem with the phrase women and minorities: Intersectionality—An important theoretical framework for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 102(7), 1267–1273. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300750

Cabrera, N. J., Fitzgerald, H. E., Bradley, R. H., & Roggman, L. (2014). The ecology of father–child relationships: An expanded model. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 6(4), 336–354. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12054

Cardenas, S. I., Corbisiero, M. F., Morris, A. R., & Saxbe, D. E. (2021). Associations between paid paternity leave and parental mental health across the transition to parenthood: Evidence from a repeated-measure study of first-time parents in California. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30(12), 3080–3094. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02139-3

Chatters, L. M., Taylor, R. J., & Lincoln, K. D. (2001). Advances in the measurement of religion and mental health: Implications for counseling and research. Counseling and Values, 45(3), 224–239. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-007X.2001.tb00196.x

Chau, C., & Giallo, R. (2014). Patterns of parental fatigue and predictors of postpartum depression. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 32(2), 229–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/02646838.2014.899976

Dariotis, J. K., Chen, F. R., Park, Y. R., Nowak, M. K., French, K. M., & Codamon, A. M. (2023). Parentification vulnerability, reactivity, resilience, and thriving: A mixed methods systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(13), 6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136197

Darwiche, J., Gholam, R., & Delespierre, A. (2020). Systemic and dyadic interventions for postpartum relationship distress. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 31(4), 334–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/08975353.2020.1833073

Deater-Deckard, K. (1998). Parenting stress and child adjustment: Some old hypotheses and new questions. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 5(3), 314–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.1998.tb00152.x

Duarté-Vélez, Y., Bernal, G., & Bonilla, K. (2010). Culturally adapted cognitive-behavior therapy: Integrating sexual, spiritual, and family identities in an evidence-based treatment of a depressed Latino adolescent. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 66(8), 895–906. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20710

Dunning, M. J., & Giallo, R. (2012). Fatigued parents: Implications for parenting, relationships, and child well-being. Journal of Family Issues, 33(2), 247–267. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X11425366

Ellison, C. G., Henderson, A. K., Glenn, N. D., & Harkrider, K. M. (2011). Sanctification, stress, and marital quality: Religious dimensions of marital functioning. Religious Studies Review, 37(2), 203–214. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-0922.2011.01549.x

Fang, Y., Boelens, M., Windhorst, D. A., Raat, H., & van Grieken, A. (2021). Factors associated with parenting self-efficacy: A systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 77(6), 2641–2661. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14767

Feinberg, M. E. (2002). Coparenting and the transition to parenthood: A framework for prevention. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 5(3), 173–195. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1019695015110

Fisher, J., Cabral de Mello, M., Patel, V., Rahman, A., Tran, T., Holton, S., & Holmes, W. (2012). Prevalence and determinants of common perinatal mental disorders in women in low- and lower-middle-income countries: A systematic review. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 90(2), 139–149G. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.11.091850

Freed, R. D., Tompson, M. C., & Venezia, R. (2019). Religious coping strategies and parental well-being in families of adolescents. Journal of Family Psychology, 33(6), 789–799. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000542

Gillis, A., & Roskam, I. (2019). Investigating parenting fatigue: Links to parenting satisfaction and marital communication. Journal of Family Psychology, 33(4), 496–505. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000524

Gómez-López, M., Viejo, C., & Ortega-Ruiz, R. (2019). Well-being and romantic relationships: A systematic review in adolescence and emerging adulthood. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 2415. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16132415

Gottman, J. M. (1994). What predicts divorce? The relationship between marital processes and marital outcomes. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Hall, J. H., & Fincham, F. D. (2009). Psychological distress: Precursor or consequence of perceived partner responsiveness in marriage? Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 28(8), 1193–1216. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.8.1193

Hall, S. E., & McGrath, L. J. (2020). Intimacy after childbirth: An integrative review of factors influencing postpartum sexual health. Nursing for Women’s Health, 24(5), 375–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2020.07.003

Hall, W. A., Moynihan, M., Bhagat, R., & Wooldridge, J. (2017). Relationships between parental sleep quality, fatigue, cognitions about infant sleep, and parental depression pre and post-intervention for infant behavioral sleep problems. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 17(1), 104. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-017-1284-x

Hawley, N. L., & DeHaan, L. G. (1996). Toward a holistic model of religiosity and parenting: Implications for research and practice. Family Relations, 45(2), 163–173. https://doi.org/10.2307/585289

Hoff, E., & Laursen, B. (2019). Socioeconomic status and parenting. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting (3rd ed., pp. 421–447). Routledge.

Impett, E. A., & Peplau, L. A. (2003). Sexual compliance: Gender, motivational, and relationship perspectives. Journal of Sex Research, 40(1), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490309552169

Kingsberg, S. A., Althof, S., Simon, J. A., Bradford, A., Bitzer, J., Carvalho, J., Flynn, K. E., Nappi, R. E., Reese, J. B., Rezaee, R. L., Schover, L., & Shifrin, J. L. (2017). Female sexual dysfunction—Medical and psychological treatments, Committee 14. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 14(12), 1463–1491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2017.05.018

Lee, B. Y., & Newberg, A. B. (2005). Religion and health: A review and critical analysis. Zygon, 40(2), 443–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9744.2005.00674.x

Leeners, B., Tschudin, S., Wischmann, T., & Kalaitzopoulos, D. R. (2023). Sexual dysfunction and disorders as a consequence of infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Human Reproduction Update, 29(1), 95–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmac030

Lévesque, S., Bisson, V., Fernet, M., & Charton, L. (2019). A study of the transition to parenthood: New parents’ perspectives on their sexual intimacy during the perinatal period. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2019.1675870

Lo Monte, G., Graziano, A., Piva, I., & Marci, R. (2014). A literature review on the relationship between infertility and sexual dysfunction: Does fun end with baby making? The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 19(4), 231–237. https://doi.org/10.3109/13625187.2014.919379

Loutzenhiser, L., McAuslan, P., & Sharpe, D. P. (2015). The trajectory of maternal and paternal fatigue and factors associated with fatigue across the transition to parenthood. Clinical Psychologist, 19(1), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/cp.12048

McCabe, M. P., Sharlip, I. D., Lewis, R., Atalla, E., Balon, R., Fisher, A. D., Laumann, E., Lee, S. W., & Segraves, R. T. (2010). Psychological and interpersonal dimensions of sexual function and dysfunction. Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(1 Pt 2), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01622.x

Miller, W. R., & Thoresen, C. E. (2003). Spirituality, religion, and health: An emerging research field. American Psychologist, 58(1), 24–35. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.58.1.24

Miranda, A., Mira, A., Berenguer, C., Rosello, B., & Baixauli, I. (2019). Parenting stress in mothers of children with autism without intellectual disability: Mediation of behavioral problems and coping strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 464. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00464

Muhwezi, W. W., Katahoire, A. R., Banura, C., Mugooda, H., Kwesiga, D., Bastien, S., & Klepp, K.-I. (2015). Perceptions and experiences of adolescents, parents and school administrators regarding adolescent-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues in urban and rural Uganda. Reproductive Health, 12, 110. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-015-0099-3

Nelson, S. K., Kushlev, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2014). When and why is parenthood associated with more or less well-being? A review of the literature. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 8(8), 492–510. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12129

Nyström, K., & Öhrling, K. (2004). Parenthood experiences during the child's first year: A literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 46(3), 319–330. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2004.02991.x

Pargament, K. I. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping: Theory, research, practice. Guilford Press.

Pargament, K. I., Feuille, M., & Burdzy, D. (2011). The Brief RCOPE: Current psychometric status of a short measure of religious coping. Religions, 2(1), 51–76. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel2010051

Philpott, L. F., Jr., Leahy-Warren, P., Fitzgerald, S. M., & Savage, E. (2017). Stress in fathers in the perinatal period: A systematic review. Midwifery, 113–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2017.09.016

Piva, I., Lo Monte, G., Graziano, A., & Marci, R. (2014). A literature review on the relationship between infertility and sexual dysfunction: Does fun end with baby making? The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 19(4), 231–237. https://doi.org/10.3109/13625187.2014.919379

Rusu, P. P., & Turliuc, M. N. (2019). The role of dyadic coping in couple therapy: A systematic review of literature. *Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 19*(1), 53–74.

Schiltz, H. K., & Van Hecke, A. V. (2021). Applying the Vulnerability Stress Adaptation Model of Marriage to couples raising an autistic child: A call for research on adaptive processes. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 24(1), 120–140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-020-00332-2

Schlagintweit, H. E., Bailey, K., & Rosen, N. O. (2016). A new look at sexual intimacy: Parents’ experiences of postpartum changes. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 45(1), 233–247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0562-9

Serati, M., Salvatore, S., Siesto, G., Cattoni, E., Zanirato, M., Khullar, V., Cromi, A., Ghezzi, F., & Bolis, P. (2010). Female sexual function during pregnancy and after childbirth. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7(8), 2782–2790. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01893.x

Sharma, R., & Kumar, S. (2019). Postpartum abstinence among Indian couples: Cultural beliefs and marital impact. Indian Journal of Family Health, 23(2), 64–74.

Shoraka, H. R., Amir Kaifi, A., & Garrusi, B. (2019). Sexual issues in infertile couples: An integrative review. Journal of Reproduction & Infertility, 20(2), 103–114.

St. Vil, N. M., Sabri, B., Nwokolo, V., Alexander, K. A., & Campbell, J. C. (2017). A qualitative study of survival strategies used by low-income Black women who experience intimate partner violence. Social Work, 62(1), 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/sww080

Stockman, D., Haney, L., Uzieblo, K., Littleton, H., Keygnaert, I., Lemmens, G., & Verhofstadt, L. (2023). An ecological approach to understanding the impact of sexual violence: A systematic meta-review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380231163790

Sundaram, S., & Kumar, V. (2019). Spiritual coping in Jain families: Communal fasting as a resilience factor. South Asian Journal of Psychology, 5(2), 41–56.

Tamres, L. K., Janicki, D., & Helgeson, V. S. (2002). Sex differences in coping behavior: A meta-analytic review and an examination of relative coping. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 6(1), 2–30. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327957PSPR0601_1

Treviño, K. M., Pargament, K. I., Cotton, S., Leonard, A. C., Hahn, J., Caprini-Faigin, C. A., & Tsevat, J. (2014). Religious coping and physiological outcomes in high-stress caregiving situations. Journal of Health Psychology, 19(6), 775–784. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105313479626

Trudel, G., & Goldfarb, M. R. (2010). Marital and sexual functioning and dysfunctioning, depression and anxiety. Sexologies, 19(3), 137–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sexol.2009.12.004

Twenge, J. M., Campbell, W. K., & Foster, C. A. (2003). Parenthood and marital satisfaction: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65(3), 574–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2003.00574.x

Downloads

Published

2025-05-02

How to Cite

Agrawal, S., & Dubey, A. (2025). Parenting Fatigue, Sexual Intimacy, and Religious Coping Strategies: A Critical Review. Journal of Psychological Perspective, 7(2), 111–122. https://doi.org/10.47679/jopp.7210862025

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2025)

Section

Literature Review

Citation Check

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Stuti Agrawal, Anubhuti Dubey

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Journal of Psychological Perspective (JOPP) is committed to promoting academic freedom and open access. To that end, we apply a copyright policy that empowers authors while ensuring the broad dissemination and responsible reuse of published work. More...

 

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.