Poster #106 - Caregiver stress and child emotional distress during covid-19: The moderating role of pandemic play

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted families' routines, relationships, and daily activities, increasing uncertainty and stress for parents and children (Calvano et al., 2021). Early adversity and stress are thought to negatively influence later learning and well-being, making it critical to identify possible protective factors against stress in early childhood (Shonkoff et al., 2012). Research suggests that play is an important mechanism by which children cope with pandemic-related stress (e.g., Tambling et al., 2021; Thibodeau-Nielsen et al., 2021). During play, children can recreate and explore their experiences (Capurso & Pazzagli, 2016), allowing them an opportunity to process emotions associated with these adverse experiences in a safe context. A recent study found that pandemic-related play moderated the link between caregivers' pandemic-related stress and children's emotional distress; the link was weaker for the children who engaged in high levels of pandemic-related play (Thibodeau-Nielsen et al., 2021). Notably, the participating families were primarily from White, high-income households, leaving questions about the generalizability of those findings among diverse families from low-income households. This study aims to replicate and extend Thibodeau-Nielsen et al.'s (2021) work with an ethnically diverse sample from Head Start preschool programs.

Sixty-eight primary caregivers of children between 3- and 5-years-old (56% girls) from Head Start preschools completed an online survey. Most of them (52%) were African American/Black; the remaining families were White (16%), Latino/a (10%), or other (22%). Their mean annual income was less than $30,000. Caregiver stress was measured via the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983) and the Parenting Stress Scale (Berry & Jones, 1995). Children's emotional distress was measured using the emotional reactivity and anxiety/depression subscales from the Child Behavior Checklist Parent-Report Form for ages 1.5–5 (Achenbach, 1999). Caregivers also reported how often their child engaged in pandemic-related play (e.g., playing doctor, pretending to get vaccinated, etc.); this variable was coded as frequently (1) if the child engaged in it once a week or more and infrequently (0) if they engaged in it less than once a week.

High levels of pandemic-related stress in caregivers predicted greater emotional reactivity and anxiety/depression in their children. But could play protect children from the effects of caregiver stress? Yes; our results suggest that this could be the case. Pandemic play moderated the relation between caregiver stress and children's emotional reactivity after controlling for family income (see Table 1). Specifically, caregiver stress was positively associated with children's emotional reactivity, but only among children who engaged in pandemic-related play infrequently (see Figure 1). This is consistent with Thibodeau-Nielsen et al.'s (2021) work, giving us further confidence that pretend play may protect ethnically diverse and socioeconomically disadvantaged children from the negative effects of caregivers' stress. Future research should further explore the possibility that play is a developmentally appropriate and natural way to reduce the emotional burden of stressful events on children.

Authors

• María Fernanda Rueda-Posada, University of Missouri - Columbia
  Presenting Author

• Alaina Wilson, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Shannon E Dier, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Rachel Thibodeau-Nielsen, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Francisco Palermo, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Rachel E White, Hamilton College

• Rahmet Akpolat, University of Missouri - Columbia