Poster #142 - Association Between Pandemic-Related Stress and Parenting Behaviors: Mediating Role of Parenting Stress

• In Event: Poster Session 09

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic presented families with novel challenges (e.g., remote learning, social distancing; Thorell et al., 2021) and stressors that have been shown to be associated with parenting stress and behavior (Brown et al., 2020; Chung et al., 2020). Chung et al. (2020) examined the effects of pandemic-related stress on parenting stress, and parenting behaviors in a mediation model. While this investigation demonstrated that parenting stress mediation the relationship between pandemic-related stress and parenting, this investigation was cross-sectional. To address limitations of prior work and add to the literature identifying the effects of pandemic-related stressors on families, the current study investigated the indirect effect of pandemic-related stress on dysfunctional parenting behaviors through parenting stress in a mediational model utilizing a longitudinal design.

Data were collected through Amazon’s MTurk from 308 mothers (Mage = 37.59, SD = 7.01) beginning in April 2020 and occurred in waves (i.e., two weeks apart). Over one-third (35.5%) of the sample reported being economically stressed (income-to-needs ratio [INR] < 2.00). Mothers were 76.9% White, 7.5% Black, 6.8% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5.5% multi-racial/ethnic, 2.6% Hispanic/Latino/a, and .03% “other”. Mothers completed a measure of pandemic-related stress at Wave 1, which was created for this study. This survey asked mothers about their experiences related to fear of infection (e.g., worries about going to work, appointments, stores, etc.) and disruptions in family routines (e.g., balancing work and family, and their child’s education) since the start of the pandemic. Mothers also completed the Parental Stress Scale (Berry, 1995) at Wave 3, and the Parenting Scale (Arnold et al., 1993), which assessed overreactive, hostile, and lax parenting, at Wave 5.

Taking income to needs, child sex, and maternal racial identity into account, the current study utilized SEM to test hypotheses (see Figure 1). The model demonstrated an adequate level of fit (χ2 [92] = 193.5, p = 0.00, CFI = .913, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.05). Parenting stress at Wave 3 mediated the relationship between Wave 1 pandemic-related stress related to disruptions in family routines and Wave 5 parenting behavior (β = .22, p = .017). Pandemic-related stress related to disruptions in family routines significantly predicted parenting stress at Wave 3 (β = .32, p = .003) and parenting stress at Wave 3 significantly predicted parenting behavior at Wave 5 (β = .68, p = .000). The direct effect of Wave 1 pandemic-related stress related to disruptions in family routines on parenting was not significant (β = -.03, p = .86). Pandemic-related stress related to fear of infection at Wave 1 was not a significant predictor of any pathways within the current study’s model.

The current study’s results align with previous models in the literature (i.e., parenting models; Abidin, 1992; Deater-Deckard, 2004), and have research and clinical implications. Results suggest that pandemic-related stress regarding disruptions in family routine as opposed to fear of infection may be indicative of greater parenting stress and unfavorable parenting behavior. Additional research and clinical implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Jordan R Kaye, Northern Illinois University
  Presenting Author

• Sabrina Ung, Northern Illinois University

• Chynna Michelle Dubuclet, Northern Illinois University

• David J Bridgett, Northern Illinois University

• Laura D Pittman, Northern Illinois University

• Elizabeth C. Shelleby, Northern Illinois University