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Maternal Psychological Distress and Children’s Internalizing/Externalizing Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Role Played by Hypermentalization

Author

Listed:
  • Federica Bianco

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo 24129, Italy)

  • Annalisa Levante

    (Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
    Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Serena Petrocchi

    (Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Via Buffi 13, Lugano 6900, Switzerland)

  • Flavia Lecciso

    (Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy
    Lab of Applied Psychology, Department of History, Society, and Human Studies, University of Salento, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Ilaria Castelli

    (Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, Bergamo 24129, Italy)

Abstract

In order to explore the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the caregiver–child relationship, we investigated the interplay among COVID-19 exposure and children’s internalizing/externalizing problems during the Italian lockdown, hypothesizing a mediation effect played by maternal distress. Additionally, we included maternal reflective functioning (i.e., hypermentalization) as a moderator factor among this interplay. A total of 305 Italian mothers of children aged 6–13 years ( M = 10.3; SD = 2.4) filled in an online survey. Findings revealed an indirect effect of maternal COVID-19 exposure on children’s anxious/depressed ( k 2 = 0.46) and attention problems ( k 2 = 0.32) via maternal distress. Hypermentalization moderated the impact of maternal COVID-19 exposure on children’s anxious/depressed problems (β = −1.08, p = 0.04). Hypermentalization moderated both the relation between maternal distress and children’s aggressive behaviors (β = 12.226; p < 0.001) and between maternal distress and children’s attention problems (β = 5.617, p < 0.001). We found pivotal significant effects of maternal hypermentalization on children’s anxious/depressed and attention problems, indicating that the higher the mother’s hypermentalization was, the higher the children’s problems were. Our results broaden what we knew on the role of maternal reflective and emotional functioning on children’s emotional/behavioral adjustment during stressful situations.

Suggested Citation

  • Federica Bianco & Annalisa Levante & Serena Petrocchi & Flavia Lecciso & Ilaria Castelli, 2021. "Maternal Psychological Distress and Children’s Internalizing/Externalizing Problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Moderating Role Played by Hypermentalization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10450-:d:649942
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cuiyan Wang & Riyu Pan & Xiaoyang Wan & Yilin Tan & Linkang Xu & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger C. Ho, 2020. "Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Markus Stracke & Miriam Heinzl & Anne Dorothee Müller & Kristin Gilbert & Anne Amalie Elgaard Thorup & Jean Lillian Paul & Hanna Christiansen, 2023. "Mental Health Is a Family Affair—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Associations between Mental Health Problems in Parents and Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Annalisa Levante & Serena Petrocchi & Federica Bianco & Ilaria Castelli & Flavia Lecciso, 2023. "Teachers during the COVID-19 Era: The Mediation Role Played by Mentalizing Ability on the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms, Anxious Trait, and Job Burnout," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Annalisa Levante & Serena Petrocchi & Costanza Colombi & Roberto Keller & Antonio Narzisi & Gabriele Masi & Flavia Lecciso, 2022. "The Effect of Sleep–Wake Routines on the Negative Emotional States and Aggressive Behaviors in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during the COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-12, April.

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