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Stress, Resilience, and Well-Being in Italian Children and Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Cusinato

    (Pediatric Diabetes Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy)

  • Sara Iannattone

    (Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy
    Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Andrea Spoto

    (Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Mikael Poli

    (Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy)

  • Carlo Moretti

    (Pediatric Diabetes Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy)

  • Michela Gatta

    (Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy)

  • Marina Miscioscia

    (Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy
    Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy)

Abstract

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has forced parents and children to adopt significant changes in their daily routine, which has been a big challenge for families, with important implications for family stress. In this study, we aimed to analyze the potential risk and protective factors for parents’ and children’s well-being during a potentially traumatic event such as the COVID-19 quarantine. Specifically, we investigated parents’ and children’s well-being, parental stress, and children’s resilience. The study involved 463 Italian parents of children aged 5–17. All participants completed an online survey consisting of the Psychological General Well Being Index (PGWB) to assess parental well-being, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to measure children’s well-being, the Parent Stress Scale (PSS) to investigate parental stress, and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-R) to measure children’s resilience. The results show that confinement measures and changes in daily routine negatively affect parents’ psychological dimensions, thus exposing children to a significant risk for their well-being. Our results also detect some risk factors for psychological maladjustments, such as parental stress, lower levels of resilience in children, changes in working conditions, and parental psychological, physical, or genetic problems. In this study, we attempted to identify the personal and contextual variables involved in the psychological adjustment to the COVID-19 quarantine to identify families at risk for maladjustment and pave the way for ad hoc intervention programs intended to support them. Our data show promising results for the early detection of the determinants of families’ psychological health. It is important to focus attention on the needs of families and children—including their mental health—to mitigate the health and economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Cusinato & Sara Iannattone & Andrea Spoto & Mikael Poli & Carlo Moretti & Michela Gatta & Marina Miscioscia, 2020. "Stress, Resilience, and Well-Being in Italian Children and Their Parents during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:22:p:8297-:d:442580
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    1. Ledyard Tucker & Charles Lewis, 1973. "A reliability coefficient for maximum likelihood factor analysis," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 38(1), pages 1-10, March.
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    4. Ana Luz Chorão & Maria Cristina Canavarro & Raquel Pires, 2022. "Explaining Parenting Stress among Adoptive Parents: The Contribution of Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility, and Self-Compassion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Liu, Mingxiao & Xu, Zhuxian, 2024. "A study on regulating factors of the influence of Children’s negative emotions on mothers' parenting stress: A study of China's post-80s generation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Meichun Mohler-Kuo & Shota Dzemaili & Simon Foster & Laura Werlen & Susanne Walitza, 2021. "Stress and Mental Health among Children/Adolescents, Their Parents, and Young Adults during the First COVID-19 Lockdown in Switzerland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Marina Everri & Mattia Messena & Finiki Nearchou & Laura Fruggeri, 2022. "Parent–Child Relationships, Digital Media Use and Parents’ Well-Being during COVID-19 Home Confinement: The Role of Family Resilience," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.
    8. Grazia Maria Giovanna Pastorino & Marianna Marino & Salvatore Aiello & Raffaella D’Auria & Rosaria Meccariello & Antonietta Santoro & Andrea Viggiano & Francesca Felicia Operto, 2023. "COVID-19 Pandemic: 1-Year Follow-Up in Children and Adolescents with Neuropsychiatric Disorders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, February.
    9. Jihye Choi & Youjeong Park & Hye-Eun Kim & Jihyeok Song & Daeun Lee & Eunhye Lee & Hyeonjin Kang & Jeeho Lee & Jihyeon Park & Ji-Woo Lee & Seongeun Ye & Seul Lee & Sohee Ryu & Yeojeong Kim & Ye-Ri Kim, 2021. "Daily Life Changes and Life Satisfaction among Korean School-Aged Children in the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Maria Grazia Maggio & Maria Chiara Stagnitti & Patrizia Calatozzo & Antonino Cannavò & Daniele Bruschetta & Marilena Foti Cuzzola & Alfredo Manuli & Giovanni Pioggia & Rocco Salvatore Calabrò, 2021. "What about the Consequences of the Use of Distance Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Survey on the Psychological Effects in Both Children and Parents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-8, November.
    11. Marianna Alesi & Giulia Giordano & Ambra Gentile & Barbara Caci, 2023. "The Switch to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Interplay between Personality and Mental Health on University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-15, March.
    12. Meiri, Yuli Ketain & Kosher, Hanita & Gross-Manos, Daphna, 2024. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being During the Global Health Crisis of Covid-19: A Croos-Narional Comparison," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    13. Andrés Rodríguez-Pose & Alexandra Sandu & Chris Taylor & Jennifer May Hampton, 2024. "Children’s Subjective Well-Being During the Coronavirus Pandemic," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(1), pages 309-347, February.

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