The Role of Family Interactions in Adolescents’ Internalizing Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

Background. As a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many routine aspects of adolescents’ lives were reconstructed into remote formats or absolved completely. Although vital to preserving health and human safety, such disruptions, combined with other COVID-19-specific concerns (e.g., social isolation from quarantine, virus contagion) likely heighten the risk for and presentation of internalizing symptoms (i.e., depression and anxiety) among adolescents (Racine et al., 2020; Lee, 2020). Yet, certain factors, such as family interactions, could potentially influence this association. Past research, conducted in the absence of a global stressor, indicates that adolescents who report having more positive interactions with their family members exhibit less depression and anxiety (Telzer & Fuligni, 2013). However, given the unique nature of the pandemic, questions remain as to whether positive interactions with family members might protect adolescents from amplified internalizing symptoms resulting from COVID-19-specific concerns (Prime et al., 2020). In the current study, we examine the influence of COVID-19-specific concerns on adolescents’ internalizing symptoms, as well as the potential buffering effect of positive interactions with parents and siblings during a single time point early on during the COVID-19 pandemic when ensuing disruptions were most novel. We hypothesized that greater concern about COVID-19 would predict greater internalizing symptoms among adolescents; and that positive interactions with specific family members would buffer this effect. We also predicted that negative interactions with parents and siblings would exacerbate the effect of concern on internalizing symptoms. Method. Adolescents (N = 72; 71% non-Hispanic White, 11.84% multiracial, 7.89% Asian, 6.58% Black, 1.32% Hispanic/Latino, 1.32% American Indian/Alaskan Native) between the ages of 14-17 (M = 16.16, SD = 1.45) were recruited through high schools and social media posts to participate in a survey-based study investigating the impact of the pandemic on their lives. Between April and July 2020, adolescents responded to a series of self-report questionnaires assessing their level of COVID-19-specific concern (CASPE; Ladouceur, 2020), depressive (CESD-10; Andersen et al., 1994) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7; Spitzer et al., 2006), and frequency of positive and negative interactions with parents and siblings (adapted from Chung et al., 2009). Results. To test these hypotheses, we ran multiple linear regression models to predict adolescents’ internalizing symptoms based on their level of COVID-19-specific concern and their positive and negative interactions with their parents and siblings. Overall, we found greater COVID-19-specific concerns to predict greater depression and anxiety among adolescents, while controlling for interactions with family members (see Table 1). However, as adolescents reported more positive interactions with their siblings, the association between their level of concern and depressive (but not anxiety) symptoms significantly weakened (see Figure 1). Interestingly, positive interactions with parents had no influence on the relationship between concern and internalizing symptoms. Furthermore, negative interactions with parents, predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms such that more negative parental interactions translated to greater depression. Implications. Ultimately, these findings suggest that adolescents’ positive interactions with their siblings may effectively reduce the aversive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental well-being.

Authors

• Kimberly Ann Sikorski, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Presenting Author

• Marielena Barbieri, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Non-Presenting Author

• Adrian Rivera-Rodriguez, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Non-Presenting Author

• Evelyn Mercado, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  Non-Presenting Author