Child, parent, and family mental health and functioning in Australia during COVID-19: comparison to pre-pandemic data

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic presents significant risks to population mental health. Despite evidence of detrimental effects for adults, there has been limited examination of the impact of COVID-19 on parents and children specifically. We aim to examine patterns of parent and child (0 –18 years) mental health, parent substance use, couple conflict, parenting practices, and family functioning during COVID-19, compared to pre-pandemic data, and to identify families most at risk of poor outcomes according to pre-existing demographic and individual factors, and COVID-19 stressors. Participants were Australian mothers (81%) and fathers aged 18 years and over who were parents of a child 0–18 years (N = 2365). Parents completed an online self-report survey during ‘stage three’ COVID-19 restrictions in April 2020. Data were compared to pre-pandemic data from four Australian population-based cohorts. Compared to pre-pandemic estimates, during the pandemic period parents reported higher rat es of parent depression, anxiety, and stress (Cohen’sd = 0.26–0.81, allp <  0.001), higher parenting irritability (d = 0.17–0.46, allp <  0.001), lower family positive expressiveness (d = − 0.18,p <  0.001), and higher alcohol consumption (22% vs 12% drinking four or more days per week,p <  0.001). In multivariable analyses, we consistently found that younger parent age, increased financial deprivation, pre-existing parent and child ph...
Source: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research