Depression and Anxiety among Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Cumulative Stress and Emotion Dysregulation

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced many new stressors for parents worldwide. This study investigated the link between parents’ cumulative stress and psychological distress during the pandemic. Parents’ emotion dysregulation was further examined as a moderator between cumulative stress and psychological distress. Methods: A total of 155 parents in the United States participated in the present study. Path analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of cumulative stress, including COVID-19-related stress, general stress, and parental stress, as well as emotion dysregulation on parents’ psychological distress, including depression and anxiety. Results: The present findings indicated that parents’ general stress, parental stress, and emotion dysregulation predicted depressive symptoms. Emotion dysregulation further exacerbated the effect of parental stress on depression. Parents’ general stress and emotion dysregulation were also predictive of anxiety symptoms. In addition, emotion dysregulation exacerbated the effect of COVID-19-related stress on parental anxiety. Conclusions: This study revealed that parents’ stress and emotion dysregulation were additively and interactively associated with their psychological distress. The findings inform researchers and practitioners that parents’ stressors have cumulative effects on their psychological distress, and that emotion dysregulation can worsen the negative effect of stress on mental health in challenging times, such as the pandemic.