ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of the present work is to analyse families' coping with the COVID-19 pandemic depending on available resources by examining the family as a cohesive system. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected families in several ways, with many studies reporting a decreased well-being of children and parents. How families cope with the new situation is dependent on family resources and personal resources. Method: A mixed-method approach combines data from an online survey (N = 11,512) and complementary qualitative interviews. The study was conducted in spring 2020 during the initial COVID-19 lockdown in Germany. The study analyses how familial and individual resources affect the family climate and child well-being. Results: The study uncovered that although structural conditions, processes within the family, and individual ressources, especially the mothers working situation, are relevant for the COVID-19 experience. Family processes are the essential factor for positive family well-being. However, these processes meet their limits if the pre-existing conditions in the families are unfavorable. Nonetheless, children are also capable of developing their coping strategies. Conclusion: Future studies should examine families and their available resources as a whole system and include the children's perspective.
ABSTRACT
Summary: Friendships and peer relationships are vital for the development of children’s social skills. Accordingly, kindergarten and school closures due to the Covid-19-pandemic in April 2020 represented a dramatic disruption in the lives of children and youth. This study echoes this sentiment by shining a spotlight on families’ strategies to ensure that kindergarten-aged children maintain and preserve contact with their friends and relate these to children’s well-being. Based on an online survey of 12,628 parents with children aged 3 to 15 from all states in Germany, regression analyses reveal that children with siblings and those who maintain contact with peers and friends via face-to-face meetings, telephone, or video chat cope better with the period of initial lockdown. © Ernst Reinhardt Verlag München Basel