Impact of COVID-19 on Well-Being in Child-Rearing Families: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Qiting Lin, Takafumi Soejima (), Shiqi Zhang and Mari Kitao
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Qiting Lin: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, Japan
Takafumi Soejima: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, Japan
Shiqi Zhang: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, Japan
Mari Kitao: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, Japan

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-17

Abstract: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted society, economy and family life. However, the impact of the pandemic on well-being in child-rearing families has not been fully studied, particularly regarding the changes before and during the pandemic and its long-term effects. This systematic review aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family well-being by focusing on changes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our systematic review (PROSPERO protocol ID: CRD42023420175) extracted 2148 references from MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO, including 15 longitudinal studies published between January 2020 and October 2024. We examined the association between COVID-19 and the well-being of child-rearing families following the PRISMA guidelines. The level of family functioning and parent–child relationship quality generally declined during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic situation, while family chaos and conflict increased. However, some families reported improved functioning and no significant changes in family satisfaction. Overall, the impact of the pandemic on family well-being varied by region. These findings suggest that healthcare providers should continue to monitor dynamic family health and provide targeted support.

Keywords: COVID-19; family well-being; family functioning; family chaos; family conflict; family satisfaction; family relationship; family cohesion; child-rearing family (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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