Objective
The current study investigates associations between parents’
perceived coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) psychological impacts and
experiences of parental burnout, children’s behaviors, and
income.
Methods
Data were collected during an online survey of parents’
(
N
=
1000)
pandemic experiences in April 2020. Parents
(
M
=
36.5 years
old,
SD
= 6.0; 82.1% White) with at least
one child 12 years or younger reported on measures of mental health,
perceived COVID-19 impacts, parental burnout, and perceived increases in
children’s stress and positive behaviors.
Results
Path model analyses revealed that parents who perceived increased
psychological impacts from COVID-19 reported higher levels of parental
burnout, greater increases in children’s stress behaviors, and less
positive behavior in children. Additionally, there were significant indirect
effects of parental burnout on the link between COVID-19 psychological
impacts and children’s behaviors. Finally, family income moderated
associations between psychological impacts and children’s stress
behaviors, such that the association was stronger for families with lower
income.
Conclusions
These results suggest parents’ perceptions of how the COVID-19
pandemic has impacted their mental health has implications for parent and
child well-being, with stronger associations for low-income families. Given
the potential for spillover effects between parents and children, promoting
family well-being through practice and policy initiatives is crucial,
including providing financial and caregiving relief for parents, and mental
and behavioral health support for families.