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Parents of young infants report poor mental health and more insensitive parenting during the first Covid-19 lockdown
Van Den Heuvel,Marion I. Vacaru,Stefania V. Boekhorst,Myrthe G. B. M. Cloin,Mariëlle Van Bakel,Hedwig Riem,Madelon M. E. De Weerth,Carolina Beijers,Roseriet
Van Den Heuvel,Marion I.
Vacaru,Stefania V.
Boekhorst,Myrthe G. B. M.
Cloin,Mariëlle
Van Bakel,Hedwig
Riem,Madelon M. E.
De Weerth,Carolina
Beijers,Roseriet
Abstract
Background The Covid-19 pandemic has put an unprecedented pressure on families with children. How parents were affected by the first Covid-19 lockdown during the early postpartum period, an already challenging period for many, is unknown. Aim To investigate the associations between Covid-19 related stress, mental health, and insensitive parenting practices in mothers and fathers with young infants during the first Dutch Covid-19 lockdown. Methods The Dutch Covid-19 and Perinatal Experiences (COPE-NL) study included 681 parents of infants between 0 and 6 months (572 mothers and 109 fathers). Parents filled out online questionnaires about Covid-19 related stress, mental health (i.e. anxiety and depressive symptoms), and insensitive parenting. Hierarchical regression models were used to analyze the data. Results Parents of a young infant reported high rates of Covid-19 related stress, with higher reported stress in mothers compared to fathers. Additionally, the percentages of mothers and fathers experiencing clinically meaningful mental health symptoms during the pandemic were relatively high (mothers: 39.7% anxiety, 14.5% depression; fathers: 37.6% anxiety, 6.4% depression). More Covid-19 related stress was associated with more mental health symptoms in parents and increased insensitive parenting practices in mothers. Conclusions The results emphasize the strain of the pandemic on young fathers’ and mothers’ mental health and its potential negative consequences for parenting. As poor parental mental health and insensitive parenting practices carry risk for worse child outcomes across the lifespan, the mental health burden of the Covid-19 pandemic might not only have affected the parents, but also the next generation.
Description
This research was supported by two Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research VENI grants (Veni.VI.191G.025-to van den Heuvel, 016.195.197-to Beijers), and VICI grant (016.Vici.185.038-to de Weerth), an Early Career Award of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (to Beijers), and Sara van Dam Project Grant of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (to van den Heuvel), a Jacobs Foundation Advanced Research Fellowship (to de Weerth), two NWO fast track data grants (to Beijers; to de Weerth), and research funding from the Herbert Simon Research Institute, Tilburg University (to van den Heuvel).
Date
2022
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Research Projects
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Keywords
ANXIETY SYMPTOMS, Abuse, COVID-19, DISORDERS, FATHERS, Fathers, MOTHERS, Mothers, PERIOD, POSTNATAL DEPRESSION SCALE, POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, Parenting, Stress, TRANSITION
Citation
Van Den Heuvel, M I, Vacaru, S V, Boekhorst, M G B M, Cloin, M, Van Bakel, H, Riem, M M E, De Weerth, C & Beijers, R 2022, 'Parents of young infants report poor mental health and more insensitive parenting during the first Covid-19 lockdown', BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol. 22, 302. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04618-x