Parental Stress and Home Activities for Young Children during the Stay-at-home Quarantine Time in China

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations among the family pandemic experience, home activities during the stay-at-home quarantine, and level of parental stress. The results showed that, Chinese parents perceived only significantly higher stress related to children’s behavioral and emotional difficulties during the pandemic. Parents’ educational level and teacher remote support were significantly associated with the frequency of different home activities for young children. Although family direct exposure of COVID-19 was a critical risk factor predicting parent-perceived stress, parents’ education, family income, and teachers’ support were important protective factors for parents’ stress. Some learning-focused home activities showed an inverse association with parental stress. Practices or Policy The findings of this study point to the importance of supporting parents to provide quality home-based learning for their young children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional support should also focus on the quality of parent-child interaction in addition to the promotion of children’s learning experience at home.