Divorced and separated parents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Predictors of COVID-Related stress in a community sample in Turkey: a cross-sectional study

The distinctive mental health features associated with COVID-19 have gained importance as the psychological effects of the pandemic on the community become more visible. This study aims to assess the COVID-related stress status and associated factors in the community sample of Turkey. The sample of this cross-sectional study is composed of 2.065 people between the ages of 18-90. Data were collected through an online survey prepared by Google.docs between October-December, 2020. Mild to moderate stress was found in the community with the most common symptoms of the fear of contamination and danger. Some variables, such as being female and the severity of COVID-19 illness, were associated with higher COVID-related stress. Vulnerable groups associated with high stress should be monitored during the pandemic. The findings of this study will guide the practices of professionals working in the field of public health, healthcare, or mental health in possible future pandemics.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on marriage, divorce, birth, and death in Kerman province, the ninth most populous province of Iran

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marriage, divorce, birth, and death rates using the Poisson regression model and an interrupted time-series Poisson regression model. Before the pandemic, marriage and birth rates were decreasing, while divorce and death rates were increasing, with only the trend in birth rates being statistically significant. The immediate effect of the pandemic was a significant decrease in the divorce rate, but there were non-significant effects on birth and marriage rates. However, in the months following the onset of the pandemic, there was a statistically significant sustained effect on increasing death and divorce rates. Forecasts based on pre-pandemic data showed that by the end of 2020, marriage, divorce, death, and birth rates were higher compared to pre-pandemic levels. In conclusion, the pandemic has greatly impacted society, particularly in terms of death and divorce rates. Birth rates were not immediately affected to the time lag between decisions and actual births. Fear of COVID-19 may have increased death rates as people avoided seeking medical help. Vaccination and effective treatment strategies are vital in reducing the pandemic's impact on mortality. Supporting families financially is important due to the role of economic issues in couples' decisions.

Striking a new balance: A qualitative study of how family life has been affected by COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

to examine the repercussions of the pandemic on the family system by focusing on the perspective of family members who contracted and experienced COVID-19.

METHOD

an exploratory study with a qualitative approach conducted with 27 individuals who had COVID-19. Data collection took place through telephone interviews that were audio-recorded and guided by a semi-structured instrument. Data analysis was based on an inductive process supported by Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

RESULTS

the pandemic and illness of a family member acted as driving forces generating new and intense movements in the family system. Initially, they noticed negative repercussions such as concerns, fear, anguish, stress, distancing and social isolation. As time progressed and by using technologies to ease communication, they began to perceive positive repercussions such as increased proximity, strengthening of ties, development of new roles and care. The families also identified recovery of a balanced position, with return of certain readjustment in family dynamics and functioning.

CONCLUSION

health professionals need to recognize that the COVID-19 disease has imposed repercussions on family systems, proposing interventions that help families face this moment and more easily recover a balanced position for their functioning.

The assessment of the related factors of emotional divorce among Iranian people during the Covid-19 pandemic: a descriptive study

BACKGROUND

When a couple experiences emotional divorce, it can lead to boredom, a decrease in their connection, feelings of sadness and despair, and reduced reliance on one another. These consequences can have a lasting impact on the entire family. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the affecting related factors of emotional divorce among Iranian people during the Covid19 pandemic.

METHODS

A descriptive-analytical study was performed on 900 men and women from 22 districts of Tehran who were selected by the available sampling methods from March to October 2021. Data collection tools are Guttmann demographic and Emotional Divorce Questionnaires. The Questionnaires were completed by the participants of the study. R 4.0.2 software was used to analyze the data, in addition, an independent t-test and chi-square were used to compare the subjects in terms of emotional divorce. Also, the multiple logistic regression method was used to determine the independent factors affecting emotional divorce.

RESULTS

The results showed that the related factors of emotional divorce include age, marriage rank, and duration of the marriage, choosing the spouse by parents, the education level of the couple, the job of the couple, infection of Covid19, and having disputes before Covid19 infection outbreak.

CONCLUSION

Emotional divorce is considered as a social harm which could be the prelude to legal divorce. Therefore, studying affecting factors in any society can pave the way for culture-based interventions to reduce such social harms.

The association between online learning, parents' marital status, and internet addiction among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic period: A cross-lagged panel network approach

INTRODUCTION

Previous research has identified the association between online learning and Internet addiction (IA) and the role of family factors in it. However, few studies have treated IA as a multidimensional mechanism and explored the underlying linkage of online learning, IA, and parental marital status with a cross-lagged network approach. The study aimed to examine the relationship between online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet addiction (IA), and parental marital status among Chinese adolescents.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 2356 adolescents who completed the Internet Addiction Test twice over a four-month period. Four symptom networks and two cross-lagged panel networks were performed.

RESULTS

The results showed that adolescents from divorced families had a higher prevalence of IA (27 %) compared to those from non-divorced families (17 %). The strongest cross-lagged association was found between "spending more time online" and "preferring the excitement online". In the divorced group, "school grades suffering" had the highest influence, while in the non-divorced group, "anticipation" had the highest influence.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the relationship between online learning, IA, and parental divorce and suggests that long-term online learning may contribute to IA, and parental divorce may exacerbate problematic Internet use and increase IA levels.

Marriage and divorce during a pandemic: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marital formation and dissolution in Mexico

In this study, we consider the initial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on family formation and dissolution. We use national microdata covering all marriages and divorces in Mexico, an event-study design and a difference-in-difference specification. Our findings indicate that over March through December of 2020, marriage rates declined by 54% and divorce rates by 43%. By the end of 2020, divorce rates recover back to baseline levels, but marriage rates remain 30% below the 2017-2019 baseline level. Overall, our findings suggest that marital dissolutions quickly recovered (6 months into the pandemic), but at the end of 2020, family formation remained at persistently lower levels.

Psychological Factors Explaining the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Mental Health: The Role of Meaning, Beliefs, and Perceptions of Vulnerability and Mortality

This study tested an expanded version of the explanatory model of the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health proposed by Milman and colleagues. Participants (N = 680) completed an online survey on demographic variables associated with poor pandemic mental health, COVID-19 stressors, mental health symptoms, and pandemic-related psychological processes we hypothesized as mediating mechanisms explaining the negative mental health effects of the COVID-19 stressors. Results indicated that these psychological processes (core belief violation, meaning made of the pandemic, vulnerability, and mortality perception) explained the severity of mental health symptoms to a far greater extent than COVID-19 stressors and demographics combined. In addition, these psychological processes mediated the impact of COVID-19 stressors on all mental health outcomes. Specifically, COVID-19 stressors were associated with increased core belief violation, decreased meaning making, and more intense perceived vulnerability and mortality. In turn, those whose core beliefs were more violated by the pandemic, who made less meaning of the pandemic, and who perceived a more pronounced vulnerability and mortality experienced a worse mental health condition. This study's results suggest some possible ways of intervention in pandemic-like events useful for limiting such impact at the individual, group, social and political levels.

Identifying potential factors associated with PCR testing for COVID-19 among Australian young people: cross-sectional findings from a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Testing has played a crucial role in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Though COVID-19 symptoms tend to be less severe in adolescents and young adults, their highly social lifestyles can lead to increased transmission of the virus. In this study, we aimed to provide population-based estimates of polymerase chain reaction testing (PCR) for the COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors associated with PCR testing in Australian youth using the latest survey data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC).

METHODS

We used the latest wave (9C1) of the LSAC, collected from 16 to 21-year-old Australians via an online survey between October and December 2020. In total, 2291 youths responded to the questions about COVID-19 testing including factors related to the coronavirus restriction period (CRP) in Australia. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify variables (sociodemographic factors and factors related to CRP) associated with COVID-19 testing.

RESULTS

During the study period, 26% (n = 587) of Australian youth aged between 16 and 21 years were tested for COVID-19. The strongest predictor of COVID-19 testing was living in major cities (aOR 1.82, 95% CI:1.34-2.45; p < 0.01). Increased age (aOR 1.97, 1.00-3.89; p < 0.05) and having a pre-existing medical condition (aOR 1.27, 1.02-1.59; p < 0.05) were also significantly associated with a higher likelihood of COVID-19 testing.

CONCLUSION

Age, remoteness and having a pre-existing medical illness were associated with PCR COVID-19 testing among Australian youth aged between 16 and 21 years in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. More research is warranted to identify factors associated with other COVID-19 testing methods and address the specific barriers that may limit COVID-19 testing in this age group.

Coping with the Forced Separation of Close Relationships during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

Issues regarding close relations became especially prevalent within the context of the pandemic, due to the forced separation of these relationships. This is now seen as a significant stressor that influences emotions and subjective perceptions of the relationship.

Objective

The current study aims to investigate the specifics of coping with the forced separation of partners with varying types of closeness.

Design

The study was carried out with quantitative and qualitative methods. The sample included 43 women and 42 men (aged 21-47); all were involuntarily separated from their partners by impacts of the pandemic.

Results

Three scenarios of romantic relationships were identified based on a balance of love components (intimacy, passion, commitment) and prevalent feelings (closeness or distance). The authors concluded that certain coping strategies (positive reassessment, acceptance, distraction) can help the individual to cope with the separation, but do not contribute to the closeness of the partners and the strengthening of the relationship. Coping primarily through active support was typical for partners with intense and balanced feelings based on closeness (Scenario 3). Ambivalent feelings toward a partner (Scenario 1) were associated with passive coping, which increased the risk of detachment. The moderate manifestation of balanced love components and closeness (Scenario 2) focused on acceptance of the situation, positive reassessing, and distraction, all of which reduce the stress of separation, but cause anxiety regarding the future of the relationship.

Conclusion

The type of close relationship has been found to correlate to the coping strategy adopted by the couple following forced separation during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, further studies are required to investigate separation in various social contexts, not only in isolation due to the pandemic, as well as its connection to psychological well-being.

Satisfaction with COVID-19 Vaccines in Health Care Workers and the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Bangkok, Thailand

Background: COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy is a global issue. Many people are concerned about experiencing side effects from the vaccine. This study evaluated satisfaction with the COVID-19 vaccine in the general population (GP) and healthcare workers (HCWs) in Bangkok, Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed from September-December 2021. Independent sample t-tests were used to compare GP and HCW participants’ total vaccine satisfaction scores as well as their satisfaction with varying vaccine types. Multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of satisfaction scores among GP and HCWs. Results: A total of 780 valid questionnaire responses were obtained. The majority of GP participants (n = 390) had received their first (93.3%) and second (88.5%) vaccination shots by viral vector vaccine; however, 90% had not received a third dose (booster). In contrast, the majority of HCW participants (n = 390) had received their first (92.8%) and second (82.8%) vaccination doses by the inactivated vaccine, and 83% had received a third vaccine dose. HCWs had significantly higher total satisfaction scores than GP participants (p = 0.034), and they were also significantly more satisfied with the mRNA vaccine as a third dose (p = 0.001). Multiple linear regression models found less association with vaccine satisfaction among GP participants who had not isolated following exposure to COVID-19 and those who have never been at risk of infection (ᵦ −0.159; 95% CI −12.867, −1.877; p = 0.009). Among HCWs, being married (ᵦ 0.157; 95% CI 0.794, 3.278; p = 0.001) or divorced (ᵦ 0.198; 95% CI 3.303, 9.596; p < 0.01) was more closely associated with vaccine satisfaction than being single. Conclusion: HCWs were more satisfied with the type and efficacy of inactivated, viral vector, and mRNA vaccines than GP participants, and the former were also more satisfied with the cost of vaccine boosters. Our results indicate that satisfaction with the COVID-19 vaccine is based on academic knowledge sharing and the government’s promotion efforts. Future research will explore strategies to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination.

Apart, but still together: Separated parents living in limbo during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents face unprecedented challenges linked to social isolation, uncertainty about the future, and financial, employment, and school-related stress. Individuals who planned to separate and divorce before the pandemic now find their lives on hold. In this exploratory study of 14 women who completed an online survey of open- and closed-ended questions regarding the divorce process and parenting challenges during COVID-19, we were guided by family stress and resilience theory and a directed qualitative content analysis approach to generate a collective story of their experiences, which included four themes: (a) pile-up of tensions, challenges, and stressors, (b) living in limbo during the pandemic, (c) finding creative strategies and solutions to navigating parenting and relational dissolution, while still living together, and (d) reaching the breaking point. We conclude with implications for professionals seeking to support individuals, couples, and families during a time of unprecedented transition and uncertainty.

Work from home and parenting: Examining the role of work-family conflict and gender during the COVID-19 pandemic

Many employers introduced or expanded working from home (WFH) in response to increasing infection rates after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether WFH enhances or depletes parents' resources for their children is still an open question. Drawing on contextual models of parenting and demands-resources approaches, we examine how WFH during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic was linked to changes in responsive and harsh parenting, particularly in light of pandemic-related increases in work-to-family conflicts (WFC). We further investigate gender differences in these associations. Our analyses draw on a sample of working parents from a large-scale German family survey conducted in 2019 and a COVID-19 follow-up from 2020. Results from first difference regression models in combination with Heckman's sample selection method revealed strongly gendered patterns of changes in parenting. Specifically, responsive parenting decreased and harsh parenting increased only among mothers who did not work from home. In addition, WFH buffered increased spillovers from WFC on declines in responsive parenting among mothers. In contrast, fathers' parenting remained largely unaffected by pandemic-related changes in their work situation. We conclude that WFH can be a resource gain because it seems to have relieved some pandemic-related parenting strain for mothers. Yet as a consequence, it may have reinforced gendered patterns of childcare. We discuss implications for policymakers and support services for families. We also place a special emphasis on those who are not able to work from home because this seems to have increased the risk that high work demands impaired their parenting during the early stages of the pandemic.

The Relationship between Attitudes and Satisfaction Concerning the COVID-19 Vaccine and Vaccine Boosters in Urban Bangkok, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a global concern. Many individuals are concerned about the potential side-effects of the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine boosters. The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes and satisfaction concerning COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine boosters in the population in Bangkok, Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey measuring COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and satisfaction was distributed from September to December 2021. Multiple linear regression was used to explore associations between demographic variables and questionnaire results. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to examine associations between attitude and satisfaction scores. Results: A total of 780 questionnaire responses were obtained. The largest groups of participants reported having obtained a first vaccination dose via viral vaccine (52.8%), a second vaccination booster via viral vaccine (49.5%), and a third vaccination booster via mRNA vaccine (28.8%). Multiple linear regression revealed a lower association between vaccine attitude scores and having earned less than a bachelor’s degree (β −0.109; 95% CI −2.541, −0.451) and infection risk without self-isolating (β −0.154; 95% CI −4.152, −0.670) compared with attaining a bachelor’s degree or higher and never having being at risk of infection, respectively. Higher vaccine satisfaction scores were more closely associated with being married than being single (β 0.074; 95% CI −0.073, 3.022), whereas lower vaccine satisfaction scores were less closely associated with non-healthcare workers (β −0.143; 95% CI −4.698, −0.831) and infection risk without self-isolating (β −0.132; 95% CI −6.034, −0.502) compared with non-healthcare workers and never being at risk of infection. There was weak but significant positive correlation between attitude and satisfaction scores (r = 0.338, p-value < 0.001). Hence, a gradual decline in protection following vaccination and the positive effects of a booster dose after primary vaccination have made the decision to administer booster doses. Conclusion: The results suggest that policymakers need to develop more effective strategies to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination.

Peer Power! Secure Peer Attachment Mediates the Effect of Parental Attachment on Depressive Withdrawal of Teenagers

Adolescents’ depressive social withdrawal is a relevant concern for mental health professionals, and it is widespread among community teenagers in form of subclinical symptoms. Different studies suggest that insecure attachment representations increase the adolescents’ likelihood to show symptoms of withdrawal (e.g., loneliness). This study explored the effect of the general attachment internal working model (IWM) and the independent and cumulative effects of the specific attachment representations of parents—in terms of secure base/safe haven—and peers on adolescents’ withdrawal. Additionally, the mediation of peer attachment on the effect of parental attachment on symptoms was explored. All analyses were conducted controlling for the difference between teenagers living with parents together or divorced/separated, as children of divorcees are considered more exposed to stressors. Ninety-one adolescents aged 12–17 years old were assessed online during the COVID pandemic period, employing the Youth Self-Report to assess withdrawal and the Friends and Family Interview to assess attachment-general IWM and attachment-specific representations. Results show no influence of parents together/separated or of the general IWM on withdrawal, but higher parent secure base/safe haven and peer attachment cumulatively predicted 10–21% less withdrawal. Moreover, more positive peer attachment mediated 61% of the effect of the parental secure attachment on withdrawal, revealing an indirect effect of parental attachment on withdrawal through peer attachment. In conclusion, both parents and peers are influential on adolescent mental health, and fostering positive peer relationships can buffer the effect of dysfunctional family relationships on teenagers’ withdrawal.

The Divorce Process and Child Adaptation Trajectory Typology (DPCATT) Model: The Shaping Role of Predivorce and Postdivorce Interparental Conflict

Divorce has been conceptualized as a process. Research has extensively demonstrated that it is pre/postdivorce family environment factors that primarily account for the variability in children’s adaptation over parental divorce process rather than the legal divorce per se. Amongst various factors, interparental conflict has been consistently identified as a prominent one. Surprisingly, a single source is still lacking that comprehensively synthesizes the extant findings. This review fills this gap by integrating the numerous findings across studies into a more coherent Divorce Process and Child Adaptation Trajectory Typology (DPCATT) Model to illustrate that pre/postdivorce interparental conflict plays crucial roles in shaping child adaptation trajectories across parental divorce process. This review also summarizes the mechanisms (e.g., child cognitive and emotional processes, coparenting, parent–child relations) via which pre/postdivorce interparental conflict determines these trajectories and the factors (e.g., child gender and age, child coping, grandparental support) that interact with pre/postdivorce interparental conflict to further complicate these trajectories. In addition, echoing the call of moving beyond the monolithic conceptualization of pre/postdivorce interparental conflict, we also review studies on the differential implications of different aspects (e.g., frequency versus intensity) and types (e.g., overt versus covert) of interparental conflict for child adjustment. Last, limitations of prior studies and avenues for future research are discussed. The proposed framework may serve as a common knowledge base for researchers to compare/interpret results, detect cutting edges of the fields, and design new studies. The specificity, complexity, nuance, and diversity inherent within our proposed model await to be more fully revealed.