Social pressure to be perfect is increasing parental burnout and increasing the risk of children suffering from stress, anxiety and depression, a study revealed on Wednesday. Researchers at Ohio State University found that the pressure to strive to be “perfect” has unhealthy effects on both parents and their children. Their study, based on a month-long survey of more than 700 parents in the US, revealed that 57 percent of parents self-reported burnout.

The study defined that “parental resentment is strongly linked to internal and external expectations, including whether one feels they are a good parent, judgments from others, Time to play with your kids, bond with your spouse and keep a clean house.”

“The illusion and expectations of ‘perfect parenting’ can be debilitating,” said Kate Golic, one of the study’s lead researchers and an associate clinical professor in the Ohio State College of Nursing.

“I think social media has really tipped the scale. As parents we have a lot of expectations of ourselves; we have a lot of expectations about what our kids should do. Then, on the other hand, You’re comparing yourself to other families, and there’s a lot of judgment going on and whether it’s intended or not, it’s still there,” said Golic, who based her experience as a working mother of four. But this research was taken forward.

In particular, parents’ mental health and behavior have a profound impact on the mental health of their children. If children have a mental health disorder, parents report higher levels of irritation and are more likely to insult, criticize, yell, curse, and/or physically harm their children (i.e. repeatedly Beating) is more likely.

On the other hand, quality time spent with parents reduced children’s mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and bipolar disorder.

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The study suggests that parents foster their relationships with children and become active listeners, as well as “catch, examine, and transform negative thoughts into positive thoughts; readjust expectations for the parent and child.” and consider and act on priorities.