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

Abstract

The 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 rates of parent depression, anxiety, and stress (Cohen’s d = 0.26–0.81, all p < 0.001), higher parenting irritability ( d = 0.17–0.46, all p < 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 physical and mental health conditions, COVID-19 psychological and environmental stressors, and housing dissatisfaction were associated with worse parent and child functioning and more strained family relationships. Our data suggest wide-ranging, detrimental family impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; and support policy actions to assist families with financial supports, leave entitlements, and social housing. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00787-021-01861-z.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Mental Health in Canada: Findings from a Multi-Round Cross-Sectional Study

“…These results align with previous parent-report research suggesting that parents with children at home have been a population at heightened risk of worsened mental health outcomes during the pandemic [6,10,15]. As other studies have identified, a confluence of stressors on families, including economic pressures, balancing multiple demands and disruptions, and increased relational stress, has been associated with poorer mental health and burnout [10,15,35,36]. The current study also identified social disparities in mental health outcomes that concur with past research [15,37].…”

“…This finding is consistent with research in the United States that found parents reported a high level of closeness with their children during the pandemic, as well as increased conflicts, discipline, and harsh words [34]. It contrasts with research in Australia that found decreases in family positive expressiveness during the pandemic [10].…”

“…Other Canadian research has similarly identified age gradients in pandemicrelated mental health outcomes, with younger adults reporting more anxiety, stress, and depression than older adults [37]. As hypothesized, parents with pre-existing mental health conditions and disabilities and those experiencing financial stress, relationship challenges, and stress related to looking after children while continuing to work also had significantly higher odds of adverse mental health outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consistent with previous research [10,15].…”

Changes in psychosocial functioning among urban, school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Although we cannot assume a causal link, this finding suggests that caregivers’ mental health may have also declined during the pandemic, and this could be an important point of intervention. There is a growing body of literature documenting the negative impacts of the pandemic on caregiver mental health, including a study among 3000 Canadian adults [ 53 ] showing worse mental health among parents with minor children at home compared to other adults, and a study showing increased depression, anxiety, and stress among 2365 Australian parents compared to pre-pandemic estimates [ 54 ]. This study also found that worse parent functioning was related to pre-existing parent and child physical and mental health conditions, These findings suggest that intervening on the caregiver and family level may be all the more important for children with mental health problems during COVID-19.…”

Enduring COVID-19 Lockdowns: Risk versus Resilience in Parents’ Health and Family Functioning Across the Pandemic

“…Providing evidence of these risks, parents in particular reported heightened levels of stress and depression along with declines in well-being in the initial months of the pandemic (see Aknin et al, 2021;Feinberg et al, 2021;Westrupp et al, 2021). Increases in parents' distress, in turn, have been linked to less responsive parenting (e.g., Brown et al, 2020;McRae et al, 2021).…”