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Dissertation
Glory Days: A Mixed-Methods Study of Anxiety, Rage, and Support in Early Parenthood
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2026
DOI: 10.25820/etd.008324
Abstract
Background: Parents of young children in the United States face increasing structural and social pressures; yet, limited empirical work has examined how these conditions shape parental mental health, particularly experiences of anxiety and rage. This mixed methods dissertation investigates the relationships among anxiety, parental rage, and social support, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches to illuminate both the prevalence and lived experience of these emotions, as well as the support patterns that may underlie them.
Methods: Using primary data collected through surveys and interviews, we conducted three studies assessing various mental health, emotional, and support outcomes of parents of young children. In the first study, we used survey data to examine associations between anxiety symptoms and parental rage, and assessed gender differences in rage prevalence and frequency. In the second study, we used semi-structured interviews and a blended thematic analysis to explore how parents interpret moments of rage, the sociocultural and relational factors that shape these experiences, and the strategies parents use to cope and repair after rage episodes. In the last study, we used latent class analysis to identify distinct subgroups of social support, and examine how these classes of support related to anxiety among parents of young children.
Results: Findings from the survey showed that rage was common, with 77.2% reporting rage in the past month and nearly half reporting rage weekly. We demonstrated strong associations between anxiety and both rage occurrence (OR=1.52; 95% CI: 1.33–1.74) and rage frequency (OR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.23–1.46), independent of demographic and psychosocial factors. Overwhelm, burnout, overstimulation, loneliness, guilt/shame, and lower support were also associated with rage, underscoring the emotional intensity of early parenting. Interview data revealed that parents interpret rage within a broader context of modern parenting demands, limited systemic support, and internalized expectations around identity, emotion regulation, and “cycle breaking.” Rage episodes were described as brief but comprising overwhelming physical and emotional states, often followed by efforts to repair relationships with children or co parents. Finally, using latent class analysis, we identified five support profiles ranging from high overall support to low or inconsistent support. Parents in less supported classes scored 1.8–4.3 points higher on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD 7) compared to those in the high support class. Caregiving specific support varied across classes, and financial insecurity and loneliness were more common in lower support groups.
Conclusion: Together, these studies show that parental rage and anxiety are common, interconnected experiences shaped by both individual level stressors and broader social conditions. Social support emerged as a consistent protective factor across aims, suggesting that interventions should address not only emotion regulation but also the structural and social contexts in which parenting occurs. This work underscores the need for public health strategies that strengthen support systems for families and reduce emotional stigma placed on parents of young children, creating a foundation to support healthier outcomes for the entire family.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Glory Days: A Mixed-Methods Study of Anxiety, Rage, and Support in Early Parenthood
- Creators
- Erin O'Mara Wissler Gerdes
- Contributors
- Nichole L Nidey (Advisor)Sarah H Nash (Committee Member)Jonathan M Platt (Committee Member)Emily K Roberts (Committee Member)Andrea L Greiner (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Epidemiology
- Date degree season
- Spring 2026
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.008324
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xv, 180 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2026 Erin O. Wissler Gerdes
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/15/2026
- Description illustrations
- charts
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 118-142).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Parents of young children in the United States are navigating growing social and structural demands; yet, the experiences of anxiety, rage, and support in early parenthood remain poorly understood. This dissertation examines how parents make sense of difficult emotions, especially anxiety and moments of intense anger often described as “parental rage”, and how different forms of social support may help protect parents’ mental health.
Across three studies, we collected survey and interview data from parents of young children. In the first study, we found that parental rage is common: most parents reported at least one episode in the past month, and nearly half experienced rage weekly. Higher anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, loneliness, and lower support were all linked to more frequent rage. In the second study, we used in-depth interviews to explore how parents understand these moments of intense anger. Parents described raising young children amid high expectations and limited societal support, and many expressed a desire to break intergenerational patterns of negative emotional responses by repairing relationships after moments of anger. In the final study, we identified five distinct patterns of social support. Parents with lower or inconsistent support reported significantly higher anxiety, highlighting the importance of both emotional and practical support in this stage of parenthood.
Together, these studies show that parental anxiety and rage are shaped not only by individual stress but also by the broader conditions in which families are raising young children. Strengthening social support systems and reducing stigma around parents’ emotional experiences may help promote healthier outcomes for both parents and children.
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9985176975802771
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