Capturing Parental Wellbeing in Everyday Life Through a Mobile Diary App

Parental Wellbeing in Everyday Life: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study on the Wellbeing of Parents of Children Aged 0 - 12 in Switzerland

This observational study investigates the wellbeing of parents in German-speaking Switzerland in everyday contexts using smartphone-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Family caregiving can be both rewarding and burdensome, yet little is known about how parental wellbeing fluctuates in daily life and across caregiving situations. The study aims to examine momentary subjective wellbeing, caregiving activities, and contextual factors in natural settings. Participants complete repeated real-time assessments via a digital diary application five times a day over a 14-day study period. The study seeks to characterize within-person variability in parental wellbeing and identify contextual factors associated with positive and negative daily experiences.

Family caregiving is essential for individual and societal wellbeing but is often associated with ambivalent experiences, including both reward and overload. However, parental wellbeing has rarely been examined using intensive longitudinal, real-time methodologies.

This observational study uses Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to capture parents' subjective wellbeing in their natural environments. Participants complete five smartphone-based assessments per day over the 14-day study period. Measures include momentary wellbeing, emotions, (caregiving) activities, as well as rewarding and challenging situations.

The EMA approach minimizes retrospective bias and enables the investigation of within-person fluctuations and context-dependent variations in wellbeing. The study aims to identify patterns of daily parental wellbeing and examine associations between caregiving contexts and subjective experiences. Findings are expected to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of parental wellbeing in everyday life and inform future support approaches.

Inclusion Criteria:

Parents living in Switzerland

• with at least one child aged between 0 months - 11 years and 11 months
• German-speaking
• any form of parenting
• any relationship status
• any form of couples or other forms of cohabitation
• No restrictions regarding nationality, wealth, external childcare, employment (full-time, part-time or homemaker) or similar characteristics.

Participants must have a smartphone with internet access to participate in the mobile diary study

Exclusion Criteria:

• All Children > 11 years and 11 months of age
• Not German speaking
• Swiss nationality but living abroad
• No smartphone with internet access