Pre-pandemic Individual and Household Predictors of Caregiver and Child COVID-19-Related Stress in a High-Risk Sample.

BACKGROUND

Many families experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and families recently investigated for child maltreatment may have been at particularly high risk. However, little research has focused on pre-pandemic individual and household predictors of COVID-19-related stress among such families who may have been especially vulnerable to the pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

The present study prospectively examined pre-pandemic predictors of caregiver and child COVID-19-related stress in a sample of caregivers and children investigated for child maltreatment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants included children ( = 285), ages 8-13, and their caregivers ( = 246) investigated for child maltreatment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Multiple linear regression models were run to separately predict caregiver and child COVID-19-related stress from pre-pandemic household chaos, caregiver and child emotion regulation, caregiver psychological distress, and sociodemographic characteristics.

FINDINGS

Black caregivers and children reported significantly more COVID-19-related stress than White caregivers and children ( 2.27, = 0.006 and 1.70, = 0.013, respectively). Hispanic children reported more COVID-19-related stress than non-Hispanic children ( 2.12, < 0.001). Caregivers' pre-pandemic psychological distress also predicted their children's COVID-19-related stress (1.80, = 0.001). Household dysfunction and child and caregiver emotion regulation were unrelated to subsequent COVID-19-related stress (s > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need to support minority families and address mental health concerns to prevent disparate outcomes in the face of stressors.