Child Care in Times of COVID-19: Predictors of Distress in Dutch Children and Parents When Re-entering Center-Based Child Care After a 2-Month Lockdown

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

As a multidimensional and universal stressor, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the mental health of children, adolescents, and adults worldwide. In particular, families faced numerous restrictions and challenges. From the literature, it is well known that parental mental health problems and child mental health outcomes are associated. Hence, this review aims to summarize the current research on the associations of parental mental health symptoms and child mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a systematic literature search in Web of Science (all databases) and identified 431 records, of which 83 articles with data of over 80,000 families were included in 38 meta-analyses. A total of 25 meta-analyses resulted in significant small to medium associations between parental mental health symptoms and child mental health outcomes (r = 0.19 to 0.46, p < 0.05). The largest effects were observed for the associations of parenting stress and child mental health outcomes. A dysfunctional parent-child interaction has been identified as a key mechanism for the transmission of mental disorders. Thus, specific parenting interventions are needed to foster healthy parent-child interactions, to promote the mental health of families, and to reduce the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessment of the Importance of COVID-19 Prevention Measures and Their Applicability in the Daily Life of Pregnant Women and Mothers of Infants

Abstract. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges to (expectant) mothers of infants in terms of family health protection. To meet these challenges in a health literate manner, COVID-19 protective measures must be considered important and must also be implemented appropriately in everyday life. To this end, N = 343 (expectant) mothers of infants indicated (a) how important they considered 21 COVID-19 infection prevention measures, and (b) how well they succeeded in implementing them in their daily life (20 measures). We performed data analysis using exploratory factor analysis for ordinal data and latent class analysis. One- and two-dimensional models (CFI = .960 / .978; SRMR = .053 / .039) proved to appropriately explain maternal importance ratings. The items on successfully applying COVID-19 measures in daily life can be modeled by the 5 factors hygiene measures, contact with other people, public transportation, staying at home, and checking infection status (CFI = 0.977; SRMR = .036). Six latent classes can be distinguished. Despite the largest class (39 %), classes are characterized by selective or general applicability problems. Classes reporting problems in the applicability of the measures rated them as generally less important (η = .582). Assessing and modelling importance and applicability of COVID-19 prevention measures allows for a psychometrically sound description of subjective perceptions and behaviors that are crucial for health literate practice in maternal daily life.

COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Restrictions: Factors That May Affect Perinatal Maternal Mental Health and Implications for Infant Development

This review aims to discuss the factors that may affect maternal mental health and infant development in COVID-19 pandemic condition. Toward this direction, the two objectives of this review are the following: (a) to discuss possible factors that may have affected negatively perinatal mental health through the pandemic-related restrictions; and (b) to present the implications of adversely affected maternal emotional wellbeing on infant development. We conclude that the pandemic may has affected maternal mental health with possible detrimental effects for the infants of the COVID-19 generation. We highlight the need for evidence-based interventions to be integrated within the health system for prenatal and postpartum care in an effort to promote maternal mental health and infant development.