Cognitive Reappraisal and Self-Compassion as Emotion Regulation Strategies for Parents during COVID-19: An Online Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective. Parenting during pandemic restrictions places extreme demands on everyday family life, leading to increased stress levels for parents and distressed parent-child interactions. The goal of this RCT study was to investigate whether cognitive reappraisal and self-compassion are helpful emotion regulation (ER) strategies to reduce individual and parental stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.Method. An online intervention for parents was developed focusing on the application of ER strategies to pandemic requirements of families. N = 265 participants were randomly assigned to either cognitive reappraisal (CR; n = 88), self-compassion (SC; n = 90) or wait-list control (WLC; n = 87) group. Interventions included two video sessions (day 1 and day 3) and three email reminders to transfer the application of ER strategies to daily family life (days 2, 4, 5). Parents’ perceived individual stress and parental stress were assessed at baseline (T0), at T1 prior to the booster session, and at T2 (7 days after baseline).Results. Significant decreases from T0 to T2 emerged for both primary stress outcomes in both intervention groups. Individual stress significantly decreased in CR compared to WLC at T2. No time × group interactions for parental stress were found. However, mediation analyses suggested that parental stress was indirectly decreased via reductions in individual stress for CR compared to WLC at both time points.Conclusions. COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic to affect family life. Cognitive reappraisal as brief online intervention can ease acute stress and strengthen the mental health of parents in acute crises.

Feelings of worthlessness links depressive symptoms and parental stress: A network analysis during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Such elevated stress could furthermore lead to more self-critical thinking, here found to have distinct connections to several key symptoms of depression and parental stress (e.g., feelings of worthlessness and feeling inadequate in the parental role) that were found to link the adverse mental health states together. One initial randomized controlled trial has found that the use of cognitive reappraisal and self-compassion strategies in parents during the pandemic effectively reduces acute stress and parental mental health [56]. The use of such interventions seems appropriate for the present co-occurrence of the specific mental health complaints experienced by parents during the pandemic.…”

The moderating role of emotion regulation strategies on Asian American parents’ discrimination experiences and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“…For example, studies have identified cognitive reappraisal as a protective factor-greater use of cognitive reappraisal was associated with lower levels of negative emotion experience and expression and psychological distress (Ehring et al, 2010;Gross, 1998aGross, , 1998b. During the COVID-19 pandemic, cognitive reappraisal was associated with various health benefits, such as lower acute stress levels and improved mental health 1 week later (Preuss et al, 2021), as well as greater ability to seek social support and enjoyable activities (Cardi et al, 2021). Conversely, expressive suppression has been associated with poorer adjustment and mental health.…”

Examining indicators of psychosocial risk and resilience in parents of autistic children

“…In one recent study of caregivers of NT children during the COVID-19 pandemic, caregivers' ER abilities predicted their mental health 2 months later (Russell et al, 2022). In another study, researchers provided an online ER intervention to parents, targeting the use of adaptive ER strategies (Preuss et al, 2021). Findings revealed that parents who received the intervention had a significant decrease in parenting stress at follow-up in comparison to the wait-list control group (Preuss et al, 2021).…”

“…In another study, researchers provided an online ER intervention to parents, targeting the use of adaptive ER strategies (Preuss et al, 2021). Findings revealed that parents who received the intervention had a significant decrease in parenting stress at follow-up in comparison to the wait-list control group (Preuss et al, 2021). With regard to parents of autistic children, even less is known.…”