COVID-19 restrictions: experiences of immigrant parents in Toronto

Abstract

Parenting is a demanding undertaking, requiring continuous vigilance to ensure children's emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. It has become even more challenging in the context of COVID-19 restrictions that have led to drastic changes in family life. Based on the results of a qualitative interpretive descriptive study that aimed to understand the experiences of immigrants living in apartment buildings in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada, this paper reports the experiences of 50 immigrant parents. During the summer and fall of 2020, semi-structured interviews were conducted by phone or virtually, audio-recorded, then translated and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results revealed that parenting experiences during the pandemic entailed dealing with changing relationships, coping with added burdens and pressures, living in persistent fear and anxiety, and rethinking lifestyles and habits. Amid these changes and challenges, some parents managed to create opportunities for their children to improve their diet, take a break from their rushed lives, get in touch with their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and spend more quality time with their family. While immigrant parents exhibit remarkable resilience in dealing with the pandemic-related meso and macro-levels restrictions, funding and programs are urgently needed to support them in addressing the impact of these at the micro level.

COVID-19 and mental health: Anxiety disorders among immigrants due to COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea

“…The sudden unemployment and economic recession have placed immigrants in worse condition, impacting their mental well-being. 5,21,36 No statistically significant association was observed between other socio-demographic variables, such as income, marital status, education with anxiety. On the contrary, only a few studies have established a substantial correlation with education, income and marital status.…”

“…5,14,24 In order to solve the challenges of mental wellbeing, mental health resources and a community-based support program are required urgently. 11,18,19,21,24 The social relief support was a significant factor associated with anxiety disorders among immigrants. Our research also supports microlevel resources focused on this community to promote immigrants' mental health.…”

“…Even in the broader culture, they also face harassment and adverse reactions. 8,[14][15][16]20,21,23,24,[27][28][29] Several studies can be found on anxiety, depression and stress assessment in various settings. 5,[9][10][11][13][14][15]19,21,23,25,30 However, there are limited studies that examine people's mental suffering during the course of an epidemic.…”

“…8,[14][15][16]20,21,23,24,[27][28][29] Several studies can be found on anxiety, depression and stress assessment in various settings. 5,[9][10][11][13][14][15]19,21,23,25,30 However, there are limited studies that examine people's mental suffering during the course of an epidemic. To our best understanding, this paper is the first psychological distress analysis centered on the mental health of immigrants in South Korea amid the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“… 10 , 18 , 19 In addition, existing research shows that the burden and seriousness of COVID-19 is already at risk for immigrants and minority groups. 8 , 12 , 14 , 15 , 18 , 20 – 23 Employment and financial problems are significant documented factors that contribute to negative psychological consequences in immigrant communities, and mental anxiety and depression have been linked with economic stress. The magnitude of the impact on migrant workers should not be understated.…”