Maternal Executive Functions Buffer the Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic Hardships on Child Internalizing Problems

• In Event: Parenting and Children’s Socioemotional Adjustment During COVID-19 Through a Multi-Level Ecological Systems Perspective

Abstract

Hardships of physical distancing related to the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., isolation, stress, uncertainty) have taken a toll on parent and child well-being (Gassman-Pines et al., 2020). A particular concern for younger children is an increase in internalizing problems such as fear and worry (Jiao et al., 2020) related to these hardships (Spinelli et al., 2020). The relation between physical distancing hardships and child problems appears to be mediated by parent factors (Spinelli et al., 2020). Thus, it is critical to understand ways in which parents may buffer children from COVID-19-related physical distancing hardships. We examined the possible buffering role of three maternal executive functions (EFs), or cognitive skills facilitating the goal-oriented control of thoughts and behaviors, as parental EFs are known to offer resilience in the face of family stress (Park & Johnson, 2020).
Participants included (N = 227) U.S.-based mothers of children ages two through six (M = 52 months, SD = 16) recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk in August 2020. Family COVID-19-related physical distancing hardships (e.g., “Isolated due to possible exposure to this disease,” “Limited physical closeness with loved one due to concerns of infection”) were measured using the Epidemic-Pandemic Impacts Inventory (Grasso et al., 2020). Child internalizing problems were measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000). Maternal EF components of inhibition, working memory and set shifting were measured with the Stroop task (1935), backward digit span task (Woods et al., 2011), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Grant & Berg, 1948), respectively. Three moderation models tested each component as a buffer in the relation between physical distancing hardships and child internalizing problems.
As expected, physical distancing hardships were positively related to child internalizing problems (r = .47, p < .001). Maternal EF components of inhibition and working memory, but not set shifting, buffered this relation (see Figure 1). Results for maternal inhibition (F(3, 198) = 32.76, p < .001) revealed that when inhibition was lower (-1 SD), there was a strong positive relation between hardships and problems (b = 3.45, p < .001). When inhibition was higher (+1 SD), this relation was weakened (b = 1.33, p < .001). Results for maternal working memory (F(3, 194) = 13.12, p < .001) revealed that when working memory was lower (-1 SD), hardships were positively related to problems (b = 2.16, p < .001), but when working memory skills were higher (+1 SD), this relation was absent.
Results suggest that maternal inhibition and working memory buffer young children experiencing family physical distancing hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic by reducing their internalizing problems. Stronger EFs might enable mothers to inhibit expressions of their own isolation, stress, or uncertainty around their child, which may protect against child internalizing problems. EFs may also allow mothers to better manage ongoing parenting goals while responding to novel child concerns (e.g., loneliness, rumination). Still, as our data are cross-sectional, more work is needed to investigate directionality. Findings shed light on possible family resilience factors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Authors

• Catherine Diercks, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Presenting Author

• Madison Rachel Kelm, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author

• Erika S. Lunkenheimer, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Non-Presenting Author