Parental Distress in the Time of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Pediatric Patients with Neuropsychiatric Conditions during Lockdown

Gianluca Sesso, Eleonora Bonaventura, Bianca Buchignani, Stefania Della Vecchia, Caterina Fedi, Marisa Gazzillo, Jessica Micomonaco, Andrea Salvati, Eugenia Conti, Giovanni Cioni, Filippo Muratori, Gabriele Masi, Annarita Milone and Roberta Battini
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Gianluca Sesso: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Eleonora Bonaventura: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Bianca Buchignani: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Stefania Della Vecchia: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Caterina Fedi: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Marisa Gazzillo: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Jessica Micomonaco: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Andrea Salvati: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Eugenia Conti: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
Giovanni Cioni: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Filippo Muratori: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Gabriele Masi: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
Annarita Milone: Department of Developmental Neuroscience, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, 56128 Pisa, Italy
Roberta Battini: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had adverse psychological effects on children and parents. While parenting is essential for positive development, increased parental distress has interfered with children’s wellbeing. In our study, we aimed to identify the predictors of parental distress in families of children with neuropsychiatric disorders during lockdown. Seventy-seven parents of children with neuropsychiatric disorders were asked to fill three online questionnaires (a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Parental-Stress-Index (PSI-4-SF) to explore the relationship between parental distress, emotional/behavioral problems in children and quarantine-related factors through univariate analyses and multiple mediation models. Significant positive associations between CBCL-internalizing-problems and all PSI-4-SF subscales, and between CBCL-externalizing-problems and “Difficult Child” subscales were found. “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” subscale and teachers–child relationship quality resulted negatively associated, as well as the “Difficult Child” subscale and peers–child relationship quality. The effect of teachers–child relationship quality on “Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction” was mediated by children internalizing problems, while the effect of peers–child relationship quality on “Difficult Child” by the child internalizing/externalizing problems. Internalizing problems in children with neuropsychiatric disorders were among the strongest predictors of parental stress during lockdown, mediating the indirect effects of quarantine-related factors, thus suggesting the importance of their detection during and after emergency situations to provide assistance and reduce parenting pressure.

Keywords: COVID-19; children; adolescents; parental stress; neuropsychiatric disorders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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