Buffering Conflict-Burnout: the Context-Dependent Role of Perceived Social Support Among Chinese Preschool Parents

In contemporary China, the convergence of parenting responsibilities and work demands has made work–family conflict a significant risk factor for parents’ psychological well-being. Parents of preschool-aged children are particularly vulnerable due to the intensive caregiving tasks required during this developmental stage. Drawing on conservation of resources theory and the stress-buffering model, this study systematically examined the impact of work–family conflict on parental burnout among preschool parents, with a particular focus on the buffering role and contextual boundaries of perceived social support. A total of 657 parents of preschool-aged children in China completed an online questionnaire assessing work–family conflict, parental burnout, and perceived social support. Path analysis revealed that work–family conflict significantly and positively predicted parental burnout. Perceived social support not only directly and negatively predicted burnout but also exerted a significant buffering effect on the link between conflict and burnout. Multi-group analyses further indicated that this buffering effect was context-dependent: its protective function was notably stronger among primary caregivers, parents experiencing high economic stress, and those raising an only child. Based on these findings, the study proposes a context-dependent model of support effectiveness, highlighting that the protective role of social support depends on two contextual dimensions—the intensity of conflict and burnout, and the degree of support–task matching. This research extends the boundary conditions of the stress-buffering framework and provides theoretical and practical insights for identifying high-risk parent groups and designing culturally responsive family support interventions.