Mothers and Fathers Deal with COVID-19 Stress in Different Ways: Association with Harsh Parenting Practices

• In Event: Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Parenting Young Children: Research Collaborations and International Perspectives

Abstract

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has put an unprecedented pressure on families with young children. Previous research on parenting stress has shown a strong association with harsh parenting practices. In the current study, we determined the impact of COVID-related stress on parental harsh parenting practices in a large cohort study of parents with an infant (0-6 months) living in the Netherlands during the pandemic. Additionally, we investigated whether parental mental health during the pandemic mediated the potential association between COVID-related stress and harsh parenting practices. Lastly, we explored coping behaviors of mothers and fathers during the pandemic.
Method. Parents (N = 638 mothers; N = 129 fathers) filled out online questionnaires about COVID-related stress (VanTieghem et al., 2020), their mental health, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Questionnaire (EPDS; Cox et al, 1987) and the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Spielberger et al., 1983), and insensitive parenting. Insensitive parenting was measured using questions, asking the parents whether the following things had happened in the past 2 weeks: I snapped at my child(ren) (verbal abuse), I hit my child(ren) (physical abuse), I was less emotional available for my child(ren) (emotional availability). Answer categories were on a 5-point Likert scale from (0) ‘never’ to ‘very often’. See our OSF page for the full questionnaire battery (https://osf.io/uqhcv/).
Results. First, we found that mothers and fathers had different COVID-related worries: fathers experienced more financial stress, while mothers experienced more stress related to being socially isolated. Next, mediation analyses revealed that depression and anxiety mediated the association between COVID-related stress and insensitive parenting, including more verbal abuse and emotional unavailability. These mediation results indicated that more COVID-related stress associated with increased parental mental health issues, which in turn increased insensitive parenting. Regarding coping differences, we found that mothers and fathers endorsed different types of coping strategies during the pandemic. Interestingly, fathers reported using unhealthy coping strategies (e.g., smoking, drinking) significantly more often than mothers.
Conclusion. These results provide important insights into parenting during COVID-19 and emphasize the need for support for mothers and fathers struggling with mental health issues and/or COVID-related stress.

Authors

• Marion I. Van Den Heuvel, Tilburg University
  Presenting Author

• Myrthe G.B.M. Boekhorst, Tilburg University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Madelon Riem, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marielle Cloin, Tilburg University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hedwig van Bakel, Tilburg University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Stefania V. Vacaru, Radboud University Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carolina de Weerth, Radboud University Medical Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Roseriet Beijers, Radboud University
  Non-Presenting Author