Children and COVID-19 Research Library

Italy was affected greatly by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), emerging mainly in the Italian province of Lombardy. This outbreak led to profound governmental interventions along with a strict quarantine. This quarantine may have psychosocial impact on children and parents in particular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of 8 weeks COVID-19 quarantine on psychosocial functioning of Italian parents and their children. In this cross-sectional survey, we included parents and children resided in Italy during the 8 weeks COVID-19 quarantine. We evaluated social and emotional functioning, clinical symptoms possibly related to emotional distress, and change in perspectives using a questionnaire.

Parents have experienced considerable challenges and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may impact their well-being. This meta-analysis sought to identify: (1) the prevalence of depression and anxiety in parents of young children (<age 5) during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) sociodemographic (e.g., parent age, being racially minoritized) and methodological moderators (e.g., study quality) that explain heterogeneity among studies. A systematic search was conducted across four databases from January 1, 2020 to March 3, 2021. A total of 18 non-overlapping studies (8981 participants), all focused on maternal mental health, met inclusion criteria. Random-effect meta-analyses were conducted.

This study aims to examine the associations of maternal self-efficacy (MSE) and perceived social 4 support with parenting stress during the postpartum period during the COVID-19 pandemic and 5 whether these two psychosocial factors account for variance in parenting stress in addition to the 6 effects of COVID-19-related experiences and sociodemographic factors.

A previous study demonstrated that the accumulation of parenting stress during prolonged school closures and restrictions on daily activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan indicates the need for mental health intervention for parents at higher risk of parenting stress. However, few studies have focused on parenting stress in other Asian countries, although they have experienced higher numbers of infections. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether parenting stress among caregivers increased across Asia due to school closures and restrictions on activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine whether there were any country-specific, cross-country, or cross-regional risk factors for increased parenting stress. An online survey immediately after the number of new cases in India significantly increased (September–November 2020) was conducted. It measured parenting stress, anxiety, and fear associated with the COVID-19 crisis, as evaluated by the Parenting Stress Index, Short-Form (PSI-SF), and the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), across three Asian countries—India (n = 142), Malaysia (n = 69), and Japan (n = 182)—in addition to the United States (n = 203). It also investigated whether respondents had adverse childhood experiences (ACE) as a risk factor for parenting stress.

This study tried to determine the fear and tolerance of uncertainty levels of the parents of children hospitalized with COVID-19, and their satisfaction with the health care received during this time. Data were collected from 130 literate parents. A significant difference was found between the mean scores on the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12) and the age of the parents and the presence of COVID-19 in other family members and the IUS-12. Also, a significant correlation was found between parents’ fear of COVID-19 and IUS-12 scores. Parents had good levels of satisfaction with health care received and moderate fear of COVID-19 and intolerance of uncertainty levels. As parents’ fear of COVID-19 increased, intolerance of uncertainty increased. The demographic characteristics, levels of fear of COVID-19, and intolerance of uncertainty did not affect the satisfaction levels.

Drawing on the tenets of family stress theory, the aim of this study is to examine parents' perceived stress, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and associated risk- and protective factors across demographic subgroups during in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Norwegian parents (N = 2868; 79.5% mothers) with >1 child under 18 years of age completed an online survey two weeks after the implementation of government-initiated distancing measures. The survey includes measures of COVID-related risk factors (parental stress, burnout, depression, anxiety, anger of parents towards children, difficulty working from home, and positive beliefs about worry) and protective factors (self-efficacy and social support).

Increased and long-term parental stress related to one's parental role can lead to parental burnout. In the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, families experienced intensified pressure due to the government-initiated contact restrictions applied to prevent the spread of the virus in the population. This study investigates the risk factors and predictors of parental burnout in a large sample of parents (N = 1488) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. Demographic and psychosocial factors were assessed at two timepoints: at the beginning of the pandemic outbreak in March 2020 (T1) and at 3 months follow-up (T2). A hierarchical regression analysis was applied to identify the factors that contribute to parental burnout at T2. Parental burnout was additionally explored across subgroups

Parents have faced unique challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including mobility constraints, isolation measures, working from home, and the closure of schools and childcare facilities. There is presently a lack of in-depth qualitative research exploring how these changes have affected parents’ mental health and wellbeing. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 29 parents of young children. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged parental resources pertinent to coping with lockdowns. The main objective of this work was to study parenting during the COVID-19 lockdown. Specifically at focus were parental behaviors concerning key domains for the family (daily routine, co-parenting, emotional experience, and support network) and changes related to the pandemic and associated with the parents’ employment statuses. An online survey was carried out through an ad hoc questionnaire where participants completed questions about their sociodemographic data and rated how much their family routines, their co-parenting relationship, their emotional experiences, and the support available in the family network varied on a 5-point scale. The participants included 1384 parents, of which 286 responded to open questions regarding impactful experiences during the lockdown.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing emergency remote education programs for young children with “Down Syndrome” who have learning difficulties and intense health problems and their parents has become a necessity. The present study examines how parents and children were affected by the “applied emergency remote education program”, which was prepared to address the needs of parents who have children with Down Syndrome and to offer them at-home support. It is a case study that utilizes quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods and includes 11 parents of children with Down Syndrome whose ages range between 11 and 35 months.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families’ lives around the world. The measures used to contain transmission have led to increased stress and put parents at increased risk for parental burnout (PB). The aim of the current study was to examine the association between COVID-related parental stress and PB, and to test whether emotion regulation (ER) moderated this association.

Children infected with COVID-19 have a critical part in community-based viral transmission. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and behaviors of parents of pediatric dental patients on COVID-19 and to present required actions to prevent its spreading. A total of 524 parents took part in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was prepared for determining sociodemographic characteristics and socioeconomic status of parents, along with their COVID-19-related knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and behaviors. In total, 90.6% of parents were unaware that disease may show no symptoms; 61.1% and 32.6% did not know roles of “close contact with asymptomatic patients” and “dentistry practices” in transmission, respectively; 30.2% thought it could be transmitted to their children at dental clinics, and only 16.4% stated their children as carriers. Parents need to be informed on COVID-19 transmission through contact with asymptomatic individuals, risks associated with dentistry practices, and role of children in transmission.