Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mothers: the social – psychological consequences and the need for counselling interventions

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a public health emergency of international concern in 2019. This study focuses on the impact of coronavirus on women who are mothers, in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study were to identify the psychological and social effects experienced by mothers during periods of lockdown and to evaluate their life experience in the current context. The study sample consisted of 340 mothers from different geographical areas. They were categorized as Working and House Mothers. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic information, the Health Cube Survey-Coronavirus 2019 (Stueck 2020) and a self-developed questionnaire about social relationships and related problems. The results of the study showed that Coronavirus has life-threatening implications which have an overall negative impact on the mothers’ psychological wellbeing and social life. Both groups of mothers had negative experiences during the lockdown period, and they reported difficult and different experiences. The Working Mothers reported more difficulties than the House Mothers, since they had to undertake several different roles/tasks in the home during lockdown, such as childcare, working from home and online learning/teaching while dealing with turmoil within the family. Both groups reported significant feelings of helplessness, emotional pain and anxiety about the safety of the family. They also experienced feelings of loss with regard to their social relationships and family members, together with feelings of isolation. Both groups of mothers reported significant changes in their lives, including negative emotions of meaninglessness, insecurity, confusion and sadness. However, the House Mothers reported more negative life evaluations than the Working Mothers. They also reported a significant increase in domestic violence during the lockdown period, as compared to the past. Therefore, persons who fall ill with coronavirus and quarantine persons should have access to online counselling and awareness programs to enhance their social and emotional wellbeing and to improve their quality of life. The government and the private sector should invest in resources relating the professionals to offer online or mobile telephone counselling for patients suffering from coronavirus as well as for persons quarantined at home, in order to improve their social and psychological wellbeing.