The ABC-X’s of Stress among U.S. Emerging Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Relationship Quality, Financial Distress, and Mental Health

Ashley B. LeBaron-Black (), Jeremy B. Yorgason, Melissa A. Curran, Matthew T. Saxey and Rachel M. Okamoto
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Ashley B. LeBaron-Black: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Jeremy B. Yorgason: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Melissa A. Curran: Department of Family Studies and Human Development, University of Arizona, McClelland Park Rm. 235F, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Matthew T. Saxey: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Rachel M. Okamoto: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: Many emerging adults have experienced increased financial distress and mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, and isolation may have amplified the importance of close relationships (especially as parents’ influence diminishes during this developmental stage). Using the ABC-X Model to frame our model, we tested whether financial distress (C) mediates the associations between COVID-19 impact (A) and anxiety and depressive symptoms (X), and whether or not romantic relationship quality (B) moderates these indirect associations. Our sample comprised of 1950 U.S. emerging adults in a romantic relationship. Mediation and first-stage moderated mediation were tested using structural equation modeling. Financial distress partially mediated the association between COVID-19 impact and anxiety symptoms and fully mediated the association between COVID-19 impact and depressive symptoms. Strong evidence of moderated mediation was found but in the opposite direction expected: the indirect associations of COVID-19 impact with anxiety and depressive symptoms (through financial distress) were stronger for those in high-quality romantic relationships. The findings may inform policy and practice aimed at optimizing the mental health of emerging adults, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: specifically, alleviating financial distress may improve the mental health of emerging adults, while focusing on the quality of their romantic relationships may not.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; financial distress; mental health; relationship quality; ABC-X Model; moderated mediation; emerging adults; structural equation modeling (SEM) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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