Swedish parents report highest stress levels among Nordic nations, study finds

A new report from insurance group If shows that 36 % of Swedish families say the burden of everyday responsibilities harms their wellbeing, the highest share in the Nordic region. By comparison, 24 % of Norwegian, 23 % of Danish and 28 % of Finnish parents report similar negative effects.

The study also reveals that 27 % of Swedish parents are worried about their children developing mental‑health problems, again higher than in neighboring countries. Concerns about neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism are also more common in Sweden, with more than one in five parents expressing anxiety.

Kristina Ström Olsson, Nordic health strategist at If, attributes the pressure to “high demands placed on parents both by themselves and by society.” She warns that persistent stress could affect family wellbeing and even influence decisions about having children. Psychologist Reyhaneh Ahangaran advises parents to lower expectations, suggesting that perfection is less important than maintaining good relationships with their children.