Mental Health Trajectories of Latinx Female Caregivers and Young Children During COVID-19: A Longitudinal Analysis

Abstract

Studies of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health symptoms suggest that there may be a unique impact of COVID-19 on minoritized individuals, young children (children five and younger), and their caregivers. Longitudinal studies with representative samples including minoritized populations are needed to accurately reflect the experience of families during COVID-19. The current study used a longitudinal design to assess trajectories of mental health among Latinx female caregivers and their young children over time, beginning prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and over the course of 12 months. In fall of 2019, Latinx female caregivers (N = 213; 93.0% biological mother) of young children (M age = 5.38, SD = 0.34) reported on their own and their child's (52.6% female) mental health symptoms, as well as parenting stress, at three time points through Fall of 2020. Growth curve models showed that self-report of caregiver global mental health worsened over time, though caregiver depression and parenting stress did not change significantly, nor did caregiver-report of their children's mental health. Results suggest that while female caregiver well-being was adversely affected by COVID-19, caregivers showed resilience in the face of this pandemic, which in turn may have buffered the impact of the pandemic on Latinx child mental health. Methodological and contextual implications of these results are considered.

The Mediating Effect of Psychological Resilience between Individual Social Capital and Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic Era: A Cross-Sectional Survey over 300 Family Caregivers of Kindergarten Children in Mainland China

“…Psychological resilience is crucial for kindergarten-aged children's family caregivers who endure multiple stressors and demands in their caregiving roles (Jamison et al 2023;Granek et al 2014;Lee et al 2021). These caregivers frequently face unique challenges related to time management, financial pressures, emotional distress, and balancing their requirements with those of their children.…”