Parents’ prospective associations between mindful emotion regulation, loneliness, and interpersonal appraisal during COVID-19

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

Chronic loneliness is linked to multiple mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and suicidality (Heinrich & Gullone, 2006). Long periods of social distancing, isolation, working from home, and quarantine during COVID-19 may place some individuals at risk for the development of chronic loneliness (Saltman et al., 2020). As most schools and daycare centers were closed to avoid the spread of coronavirus, caregivers lost access to an important part of their support systems increasing their vulnerability to chronic loneliness. Prior evidence suggests emotion regulation - including mindfulness skills - may play a protective role against loneliness (Lindsay et al., 2019). It is unknown whether this association will be evident for caregivers during COVID-19. According to a cognitive behavioral theory (Kall et al., 2020), loneliness and interpersonal appraisal are bi-directionally correlated. We tested two longitudinal alternative mediation hypotheses: 1) caregivers’ mindful emotion regulation was inversely associated with loneliness, and this relation was mediated by interpersonal appraisal; or 2) mindful emotion regulation was associated with interpersonal appraisal, and this relation was mediated by loneliness.
Participants were 147 parents or those in near-parent roles (64.6% female; Mean age = 34.45 years [SD = 12.31; Range = 20 – 76]) caring for at least one child in their household during the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. The percentages caring for at least one child under 5 years, between 6-11 years, and between 12-18 years were 53.1%, 42.1%, and 35.2%. Data were collected online at baseline (April 7-21, 2020), 30-, 60-, and 90-days later (i.e., T1 – T4). Measures include demographics characteristics (gender, age, education, employment status, financial stress, and marital status), mindful emotion regulation (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, Feldman et al., 2007; the Attention subscale of Barrat Impulsivity Scale-11, Coutlee, et al., 2014; Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-short, Kaufman et al., 2015), the COVID-Stressors scale (Park et al., 2020), loneliness (Loneliness Scale; Hughes et al., 2004), and interpersonal appraisals (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List, Brookings et al., 1988).
The second hypothesis was supported (Figure 1). The time-ordered mediational structural equation model fit the data well, χ2 = 41.73, df = 30, CFI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.02. Controlling for loneliness at T2 and covariates, mindful emotion regulation at T1 was inversely associated loneliness at T3, b = -0.118, SE = 0.039, p< .01, Loneliness at T3 was further associated with negative interpersonal appraisal at T4, b = 0.316, S.E. = 0.133, p < .05, after controlling for interpersonal appraisal at T2 and covariates. The direct effect of mindful emotion regulation on interpersonal appraisal was not statistically significant. However, the indirect effect of mindful emotion regulation on decreased negative interpersonal appraisal through decreased loneliness was statistically significant (bias-corrected bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals= [-0.092, -0.010]).
Focusing on the needs of caregivers is an important aspect of promoting healthy parent-child interactions to buffer maladaptive adjustment during the COVID-10 crisis. Our findings from multi-wave longitudinal analysis indicate mindful emotion regulation may protect caregivers’ perceived social support by reducing feelings of loneliness. Implications for interventions are discussed.

Authors

• Na Zhang, University of Connecticut
  Presenting Author

• Beth S Russell, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Crystal L. Park, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michael Fendrich, University of Connecticut
  Non-Presenting Author