Parental Burnout During the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Role of Parenting Stressors and Coparenting Support

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about many changes in family routines and introduced new stressors for parents. While stressors can lead to parental burnout, coparenting support may mitigate the effects of parental stress on parental burnout. The current study explored the effects of parental stress, COVID-19 stress, and coparenting support on parental burnout during the second year of the pandemic. Participants consisted of one hundred fifty-five parents in the USA (M = 39.6, SD = 7.38;female = 94.8%). Results suggested parental stress was positively associated with parental burnout while coparenting support was negatively associated with parental burnout. These findings highlight the importance of addressing parental stress and support to minimize the risk of parental burnout. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Family Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Parent–child relationship and parents' psychological well‐being among Malaysian families amid pandemic: The role of stress and gender

The COVID‐19 pandemic has taken most part of the world by surprise. The orders of nationwide movement control and social distancing by the Malaysian authority to curb the spread of the airborne virus have sent working‐class families into a novel work‐from‐home condition. This study aimed to examine the association between positive experiences in parent–child relationships, parental stress and working parents' psychological well‐being in Malaysia during the pandemic by considering the mediating role of parental stress and the moderating role of parental gender role. A total of 214 working‐from‐home parents (Mage = 46.39;SDage = 9.06;51.9% working mothers;76.6% Chinese) participated in a cross‐sectional quantitative online survey. A significant positive relationship was found between parent–child relationships and parents' psychological well‐being. Parental stress was negatively correlated with parent–child relationships and parents' psychological well‐being. Meanwhile, parental stress significantly mediates the link between parent–child relationships and parents' psychological well‐being. Besides, parental gender role was found to be a significant moderator where fathers experience better psychological well‐being when they have more positive parent–child relationships. The findings further support the importance of positive interaction between parents and children and parental stress, which could affect parents' psychological well‐being. This study may fill a knowledge gap by providing an overview of working parents' psychological well‐being in their experience of working from home during the pandemic. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Child & Family Social Work is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Parental stress as a mediator between parents' emotion regulation and youth's psychological symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study

Mental health in families has been affected by COVID-19 stressors. Parental stress and emotion regulation can moderate the emotional effects on their children. This study analyzes the role of parental stress as a mediating variable between parents' emotion regulation and children's symptoms. Participants were 214 parents of youth aged 3-17 years, who completed an online survey providing information about parental variables and symptoms in their children. The results show that parental stress mediates the relationship between parental emotion regulation and children's psychological symptoms. Thus, parents who used cognitive reappraisal strategy less frequently reported more psychological symptoms in their children and higher parental stress. Parents who used expressive suppression more frequently also reported more psychological symptoms in their children and higher parental stress. The present study provides novel information by relating parental psychological variables with psychological variables in youth during a period characterized by the most significant psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2023. Psy, Soc & Educ.

Child externalising and internalising behaviour and parental wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this study we surveyed families' experiences with parental depression, stress, relationship conflict and child behavioural issues during 6 months of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic through the Covid-19: Global Social Trust and Mental Health Study. The current analyses used data collected from online surveys completed by adults in 66 countries from 17 April 2020 to 13 July 2020 (Wave I), followed by surveys 6 months later at Wave II (17 October 2020-31 January 2021). Analyses were limited to 175 adult parents who reported living with at least one child under 18 years old at Wave I. Parents reported on children's level of externalising and internalising behaviour at Wave I. At Wave II, parents completed self-reported measures of stress, depression and inter-partner conflict. Child externalising behaviour at Wave I significantly predicted higher levels of parental stress at Wave II, controlling for covariates. Child internalising behaviour at Wave I did not predict parental stress or depression, controlling for covariates. Neither child externalising nor internalising behaviour predicted parental relationship conflict. The overall findings demonstrate that child behaviour likely influenced parental stress during the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings suggest that mental health interventions for children and parents may improve the family system during times of disaster.

Invited discussant comments during the UCL-Penn Global Covid Study webinar 'Family Life: Stress, Relationship Conflict and Child Adjustment'.

The main objective of this article is to comment on the findings presented during the UCL-Penn Global Covid Study webinar, 'Family Life: Stress, Relationship Conflict and Child Adjustment' by Portnoy and colleagues. The study examined the ways in which family stress conflict has been affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Informed by the transactional models of parent-child behaviour, the authors are specifically interested in exploring the effect of child adjustment on parental outcomes. The study, currently under consideration for publication, found that child emotional and conduct problems predicted changes in parental depression and stress during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Child hyperactivity predicted parental stress, but not depression. None of the child behaviour problems (emotional problems, conduct problems and hyperactivity) predicted parental relational conflict. This article discusses reasons why the study under consideration did not find a significant effect on relational conflict and posts questions that can be addressed in future studies.

Quality of life among young people in Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal study.

In this study, we aimed to examine health-related quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic among a general sample of young people in Norway aged 11-19 years. More specifically, we examine: (1) Change over 2 time-points in five health-related quality of life dimensions, (2) Whether sociodemographic- and COVID-19-related factors contributed to change in these five dimensions, (3) Whether parental stress and socioeconomic status at T1 interacted with change in health-related quality of life across T1 and T2. Data collection lasted from April 27th to May 11th, 2020 (T1), and from December 16th, 2020, to January 10th, 2021 (T2). Youth aged 11-19 years (N = 2997) completed the KIDSCREEN-27, COVID-19 related and sociodemographic items. Parents (N = 744) of youth aged 15 years and younger completed the parental stress scale and sociodemographic items. Physical and psychological wellbeing declined significantly from March to December 2020. Subscale scores for social support and peers increased. Controlling for a broad number of sociodemographic and COVID-19-related factors did not make an overall impact on the estimates. Those worried about infection, older aged, girls, and youth born outside Norway had a steeper decline in health-related quality of life subdimensions from T1 to T2. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we warrant special attention to the recovery of youth's physical and psychological wellbeing.

Relationship between parental stress and post-traumatic stress disorder: The moderating effect of visitation restrictions in paediatric intensive care units during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Visitation restrictions due to COVID-19 kept parents from being with their children who were hospitalized in the PICU and from meeting with professional staff. AIM: This study examined the moderating effect of COVID-19-induced visitation restrictions on the relationship between stress and post-traumatic stress disorder in parents of children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a descriptive, exploratory study involving 93 parents of children hospitalized in the paediatric intensive care unit using the Korean version of the Parental Stressor Scale: Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Revised Impact of Events Scale. Descriptive, Pearson's correlation, and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the data. Self-reported survey questionnaires were provided for parents to complete in a separate area of the outpatient clinic when they visited for follow-up care after their children were discharged from the paediatric intensive care unit. RESULTS: Mothers showed significantly higher post-traumatic stress disorder scores than fathers. The relationship between all the sub-domains of perceived stress and post-traumatic stress disorder was statistically significant. Visitation restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic had significant moderating effects on the relationship between perceived parental stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, the moderating effects of COVID-19 were exhibited when the two sub-domains-hyperarousal and intrusion-were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric intensive care unit visitation may be an important intervention for parental post-traumatic stress disorder. Parental visitation should be enabled, and alternative interventions should be developed in situations where visitation is prohibited. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It is necessary to develop and apply various and effective alternatives visitation that can prepare hospitals for visiting restrictions during pandemic situations which could emerge in the future.

Parental stress and support perception in southern Italy's households with intellectual disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stress experienced by parents of persons with Intellectual Disability (ID) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is higher than that of parents of neurotypical children (TD). An important protective factor is the perception of the support received within the family and the social network. The emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the health of people with ASD/ID and their families. The aim of the study was to describe the levels of parental stress and anxiety before and during the lockdown in southern Italy's families with ASD/ID persons and analyze how the levels of support perceived by these families. 106 parents, the ages of 23 and 74 years (M = 45; SD = 9), from southern Italy responded to an online battery of questionnaires measuring parental stress, anxiety, perception of support and attendance at school activities and rehabilitation centers, before and during lockdown. In addition, descriptive, Chi-Square, MANOVA, ANOVAs, and correlational analyses were conducted. The results showed that during the lockdown, attendance at therapies and extra-moenia activities and participation in school activities drastically dropped. During lockdown, parents felt inadequate. The parental stress and anxiety were moderate, but the perception of support dropped significantly.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Parental Concerns in the Pediatric Surgery Department during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted various aspects of healthcare, including pediatric surgery. This study aimed to assess parental concerns and stress levels in pediatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic, identify factors associated with increased parental anxiety or concern, and provide recommendations for healthcare providers. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary pediatric hospital in Timisoara, Romania, involving 174 parents of pediatric patients requiring elective or emergency surgery, with a mean age of 37.6 (25-47) years, out of which 89.1% of respondents were women. Parental concerns were assessed using the Parental Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Parents of children undergoing emergency surgery (n = 108) reported higher levels on the practical impact domain of the PCQ scale (3.4 vs. 2.2, p < 0.001), emotional impact (2.7 vs. 2.2, p = 0.002), and total PCQ score (9.5 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001) compared to parents of children undergoing elective surgery (n = 66). Parents in the emergent surgery group also reported higher anxiety scores on the HADS questionnaire (7.9 vs. 6.5, p = 0.009) and higher perceived stress and total score on the PSS-10 survey (7.8 vs. 5.6, p = 0.046) (10.5 vs. 9.1, p = 0.047), respectively. A significantly higher proportion of parents in the emergent surgery group were concerned about restricted visitation policies (p = 0.013) and reported delaying or considering delaying their child's surgery due to the pandemic (p = 0.036). The results demonstrate heightened concerns, anxiety, and stress among parents of children undergoing emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare providers should address parental concerns, provide clear communication, and ensure adequate support for families. Recommendations include enhancing information about COVID-19 precautions, reassuring parents about personal protective equipment availability, and facilitating family support within visitation restrictions.

Evaluation of health status, problems and deficiencies of children with asthma in the first 12 months of COVID-19 pandemic

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is certainly the biggest health challenge in the world today. Since the beginning of this pandemic, the severity of the disease has been associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. Given that asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood that affects the respiratory system which is the main and important target of COVID-19, it was necessary to study and determine the clinical course and the effect of COVID-19 on different aspects of asthmatic patients' lives. Method(s): In this study, which is a cross-sectional study, patients' information was collected by a questionnaire in the form of a telephone interview with the parents of children with asthma which registered in the database of the Asthma and Allergy Clinic. The sample size of this study included 200 patients with asthma under the age of 18 (129 boys and 71 girls). When collecting patient information, due to the fact that more than 12 months have passed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran, patient information was collected for the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Result(s): Among the 200 asthmatic patients studied, 45 patients (22.5%) suspected COVID-19. Of these, 11 patients (24.4% of suspected patients) underwent diagnostic PCR test. Among these tests, the result of 10 tests (90.9% of the total tests) was positive. Also, 101 patients (50.5%), at least one of their parents had COVID-19. 189 patients (94.5%) evaluated their asthma status better than last year and out of 200 patients, only 31 patients (15.5%) were treated for their asthma with the highest share of Salbutamol (96.8%), Montelukast (64.5%) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) (54.8%). 41 patients (20.5%) had referred to medical centers at least once in the first year of COVID-19 pandemic, of which 31.7% (13 patients) had an asthma attack. Among the total patients, 20 patients (10%) had received the influenza vaccine in the last year (1399). Patients' ACT score in 159 patients aged 4-11 years with a mean score of 25.55 +/- 2.27 and 40 patients aged 12-18 years with a mean score of 23.28 +/- 3.31 were calculated, which was in the range of well controlled. Average score of parental stress and anxiety (on a scale of 0 to 10), It was 5.93 +/- 2.82. Conclusion(s): The results of this study generally showed an improvement in asthma control status among children with asthma during the first year of COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the improvement in control of asthma in most of the children studied, the presence of stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 in children and their parents was significant. To reduce it, it is necessary to plan and take preventive actions.

Short-term and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child psychological well-being: a four-wave longitudinal study.

As the COVID-19 pandemic further unfolds, it becomes a key theoretical and practical question to identify trajectories of child psychological well-being and to explore risk and resilience factors for developmental adjustment. The current study addressed this research gap by means of an ecological design: A (lockdown)-B (relaxation)-B (relaxation)-A (lockdown). We collected parental reports via online questionnaires over four measurement occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany (non-probabilistic sample): from the first lockdown (T1-spring 2020, N = 1769) to the following period of relaxation (T2-summer 2020, n = 873; T3-fall 2020, n = 729) on to the second lockdown (T4-winter 2020/21, n = 748). Key measures at T1-T4 were child emotional and behavioral problems as well as hyperactivity, child emotional and family-related well-being, parental strain, and parent-child relationship quality. We found evidence for quadratic growth models. While child problem behaviors (b = 0.32, p < 0.001) and emotional well-being (b = - 0.33, p < 0.001) improved after the first lockdown during subsequent periods of relaxation before worsening again in the second lockdown, child family-related well-being steadily decreased over all four measurement points (T1-T2: p < 0.001; T2-T3: p = 0.045; T3-T4: p = 0.030). Importantly, parental stress emerged as a strong risk factor (ps < 0.11) and the parent-child relationship quality constituted a resilience factor (p = 0.049) for child psychological well-being. These findings have major implications for policies aiming to further child health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parenting Without Predictability: Precarious Schedules, Parental Strain, and Work-Life Conflict

Against the backdrop of dramatic changes in work and family life, this article draws on survey data from 2,971 mothers working in the service sector to examine how unpredictable schedules are associated with three dimensions of parenting: difficulty arranging childcare, work-life conflict, and parenting stress. Results demonstrate that on-call shifts, shift timing changes, work hour volatility, and short advance notice of work schedules are positively associated with difficulty arranging childcare and work-life conflict. Mothers working these schedules are more likely to miss work. We consider how family structure and race moderate the relationship between schedule instability and these dimensions of parenting. Unstable work schedules, we argue, have important consequences for mothers working in the service industry.

Burdens, positive aspects, and resources in families during the COVID-19 pandemic

Theoretical Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting consequences led to new family challenges (e. g., school and daycare closings, home office). Studies examining the variety of experiences are scarce. Objective: We examined (1) what burdened families the most during the pandemic, (2) whether there were positive changes in families, and (3) what resources helped parents to manage the crisis. Method: We conducted an online survey in August 2020 in Germany with N = 4 967 parents (87.6% female, 86.7% higher school education) with minor children (0-17 years). We analysed their answers to three open-ended-questions: (1) "Overall, what caused you the most stress during the pandemic?" (2) "What has changed for the better during the pandemic?" (3) "What helped you the most during the pandemic?". We used an inductive approach and developed a category system based on the answers. We analysed the frequencies of developed categories using MAXQDA (VERBI Software, 2019). Results: Parents were stressed most by the difficult compatibility of job and family life (12.0%), worries about the progression of the pandemic (11.1 %), and the closure of care facilities and education institutions (8.5 %). On the other hand, parents also reported positive changes that emerged from the pandemic: more gratitude and new attitudes (16.1 %);closer relationships within the family (13.0 %);and more time to spend with others (10.6%). Family resources were: social interaction within the family (19.1 %), outside family life (10.9%), and increased positive activities (13.3 %). Discussion and Conclusion: Our results provide insight into the individual experiences of families during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Based on the results, needsand family-based interventions can be derived that focus on reducing the burden, on maintaining the positive changes on a long-term basis, and on strengthening family resources. Examples are opening child-care facilities, establishing flexible work arrangements, allowing social contact in social bubbles, providing information on actions, strengthening media competence, providing positive activities, training awareness for positive changes and resources, and disseminating support measures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (German) Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die Masnahmen zur Eindammung der COVID-19-Pandemie stellten Familien vor Herausforderungen. Es fehlt an Studien, welche die umfassende Vielfalt der subjektiven Erfahrungen abbilden. Fragestellung: Ziel ist, Belastungen, positive Veranderungen und Ressourcen in Familien zu erfassen. Methode: 4 967 Eltern (87.6% weiblich, 86.7% mit Hochschulreife) minderjahriger Kinder (0-17 Jahre) nahmen an einer Online-Erhebung im August 2020 teil. Belastungen, positive Veranderungen und Ressourcen wahrend der Pandemie wurden durch offene Fragen erfasst. Auf Basis der Freitextantworten wurde ein Kategoriensystem entwickelt und ausgewertet. Ergebnisse: Die Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Privatleben (12 %), Sorgen um die Entwicklung der Pandemie (11%) und eingeschrankte Betreuung und schulische Bildung (9%) wurden am haufigsten als Belastungen genannt. Positive Veranderungen waren vermehrte Wertschatzung, Dankbarkeit und neue Einstellungen (16%), engere Beziehungen innerhalb der Familie (13%) und mehr Zeit mit Menschen (11%). Wichtige Ressourcen fur Familien waren das soziale Miteinander innerhalb der Familie (19%) und positive Aktivitaten (13 %). Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Ansatzpunkte fur familienzentrierte Praventionsmasnahmen sind die Offenhaltung von Betreuungseinrichtungen, eine Flexibilisierung der Arbeitssituation, eine fortlaufende Aufklarung uber notwendige Masnahmen, Starkung digitaler Unterstutzungsangebote einschlieslich der Verbesserung der Medienkompetenz, die Ermoglichung von Freizeitaktivitaten, sowie die Verbesserung psychosozialer Unterstutzungsmasnahmen. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Pre-existing parental stress and youth internalizing symptoms predict parent-reported COVID-related stress in military families

Understanding the extent to which youth and families experienced COVID-related stress requires accounting for prior levels of stress and other associated factors. This is especially important for military families, which experience unique stressors and may be reluctant to seek outside help. In this prospective study, we examined the role of pre-pandemic family factors in predicting parent and youth stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 234 families with at least one active-duty parent and a 3rd or 5th-grade child. Findings revealed that preexisting factors predicted youth and family COVID-related stress. Specifically, heightened pre-pandemic parental stress and youth internalizing symptoms were significant predictors of COVID-related stress. Implications for mental health professionals and other organizations supporting military parents and families during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other times of upheaval are discussed. © 2023 Division 19 (Society for Military Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction on parental stress during COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic causes a negative parenting response and impactschildren'ssocial-emotionaldevelopment. This studyaimedtoanalyzetheeffectivenessofMindfulnessBased Stress Reduction (MBSR) on parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This study used a randomized controlled trial. A total of 32 participants were recruited and randomlydividedintointerventionandcontrolgroups. The intervention group received mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) 8 sessions (one session a day for 40 minutes), while the control group got the same intervention after filling out the post-test. The parental stress index is used to measure the stress level of parents. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a significant reduction in parental stress levels after receiving MBSR (p<0.05), as well as substantial differences in parental stress levels between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) reduced parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from the study suggest that MBSR can be carried out routinely on the sidelines of daily activities to reduce parental stress. Furthermore, it can be applied as nurses'independent intervention for reducing adult stress during the pandemic. © 2022 Academia Nacional de Medicina. All rights reserved.

Mental health in dual-income families during COVID-19

Background: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigated mental health within dual-earner, heterosexual couples working from home and explored whether gender differences in mental health relate to unequal division of labor and/or level of childcare commitment (i.e., having no children, having at least one child below or equal to 6 years old, and having children all above 7 years old). Methods: Participants (N = 277;55% male, 85% White) were heterosexual adults living with a romantic partner (both employed either full- or part-time), working from home during the pandemic. They were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and completed self-report measures of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and parental stress. Results: On average, during the pandemic females contributed more hours to household chores and childcare per female and male reports. However, females perceived their effort expended to be greater than that expended by males, whereas males perceived equal effort. Both genders perceived the division of labor as being fair overall. Females without children reported greater anxiety than did males without children. Females' anxiety was relatively constant across parental statuses. Males with children below or equal to age 6 experienced greater anxiety than did males without children. Also, males who reported a higher share of perceived effort in doing household chores endorsed greater anxiety, depression, and parental stress compared to females in the same situation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Stress among Korean immigrant parents of children with diagnosed needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines difficulties amid the COVID-19 pandemic in raising children and meeting their educational needs among Korean immigrant parents of children with disabilities, giftedness, and/or limited English proficiency living in the U.S. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis examined the associations between the 48 participants' perceived difficulties meeting their children's educational needs, parental stress, and parents' resilience and social support. Additionally, basic interpretive qualitative analysis was conducted for the 18 survey participants who provided data via an open-ended survey response. Results determined that participant difficulties in assisting with their children's educational needs were associated with increased parental stress. Participants also described lack of resources and support, language and communication barriers, internal family conflicts, and developmental concerns about the child. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

‘They don't realise how hard it is'. Investigating the lived experiences of higher education students with parental responsibilities during the Covid-19 pandemic

Anecdotal reports of student parents' challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic prompted this explorative study;investigating the lived experiences of UK student parents and the provision of Higher Education support. Data was derived from 91 online surveys, 20 follow-up interviews, and analysis of 100 university websites. This occurred during the pandemic lockdowns whenthe stresses, challenges and opportunities of balancing their simultaneous roles of parent and student were intensified due to school closures. The Double ABC-X model provided a framework for examining participant's lived experiences, and the role that Higher Education institutions could play in effecting positive coping and adaptation. Findings indicate that universities need to implement strategies to enhance support for this sector, including greater awareness of the vulnerabilities and challenges involved, more flexibility and adaptability in the university ethos, formal and informal policies and structures to provide more effective support and advice for juggling these simultaneous demands. © 2023 The Authors. Higher Education Quarterly published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Parental Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychological Outcomes and Risk and Protective Factors.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review examines the challenges faced by parents in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, their emotional reactions, and risk and protective factors in their adjustment. Clinical and policy implications are discussed, and recommendations for future study are offered. RECENT FINDINGS: The literature reveals numerous stresses experienced by parents during the pandemic. Many parents facing COVID-19-related challenges suffered traumatic stress, depression, and/or anxiety, though most have adapted well over time. Demographic factors, pre-existing vulnerabilities, employment and household responsibilities, and family structure and cohesion influenced psychological outcomes. The pandemic lockdown created obstacles to accessing medical, mental health, educational, social, recreational, and other supportive programs and services for families, further increasing the burden on parents. The pandemic has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and triggered pervasive parental stress. The lockdown affected families differently based on their pre-existing vulnerabilities and available resources. Additional research using more rigorous methodological approaches is warranted to identify and address the needs of parents during public health crises like pandemics.

Parental stress and physical violence against children during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic: results of a population-based survey in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Parents and caregivers belonged to those with the highest burdens during the COVID-pandemic. Considering the close link between parental stress and child maltreatment, identifying families with high parental stress is of utmost importance to prevent violence against children. Within this study, we thus aimed to investigate the interplay of parental stress, changes in parental stress, and physical violence against children during the second year of the COVID-pandemic on an exploratory level. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study in Germany from July to October 2021. By using different sampling steps, a representative probability sample of the German population was generated. A subsample of these participants with children under the age of 18 was included for analysis within this study (N = 453, 60.3% females, Mage = 40.08; SD = 8.53). RESULTS: Higher parental stress levels were associated with more physical violence against children, higher levels of own experiences of child maltreatment, and mental health symptoms. An increase in parental stress during the pandemic was associated with female sex, the use of physical violence against children, and parental experience of child maltreatment. Parents who have ever used physical violence against their children have been characterized by higher parental stress levels, a stronger increase in parental stress during the pandemic, own experience of child maltreatment, mental health symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics. Higher parental stress levels, a stronger increase of parental stress during the pandemic, having pre-existing psychiatric disorders, and parental experience of child maltreatment predicted an increased use of physical violence against children during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore the importance of parental stress for the risk of physical violence against children, more so in times of overall increased stress due to the pandemic and underline the need for low threshold support for families at risk in times of crises.