Families in the Time of the Pandemic: Breakdown or Breakthrough?

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic has taken a toll on all individuals and their families around the world. Some suffer more adversely than others depending on their unique developmental needs, resources, and resilience. However, instead of breaking down, many families and therapists have hunkered down to cope with this ‘wicked’ situation as it continues to evolve. This article examines the unique challenges and opportunities of COVID‐19 for families at different life developmental stages, as well as the challenges and opportunities for systemic therapists as they venture into unfamiliar territory. Through a case example and by integrating recent literature related to this pandemic, we apply three key and interconnected systemic themes (unsafe uncertainty, family life cycle, and social diversity) to discuss the challenges and opportunities for families and therapists, respectively. We are optimistic that there are many possibilities as families and therapists draw on, and often reinvent, currently available resources to navigate their course in this pandemic. We also find that while the pandemic continues to present unsafe and uncertain situations, there are new ways of being and behaving, especially when families and professionals work together collaboratively. Despite formidable challenges, there are many opportunities, both within families and communities that cut through different social contexts related to family, culture, economics, and even politics. Families and therapists could endure better when they are more cognisant of how and what these contexts may impact and offer them.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on families living with autism: An online survey

“…Whereas the majority of studies focus on negative effects of the pandemic on mental health and intrafamilial stress levels, Singh and Sim (2021) discuss possible opportunities the crisis may hold for families and their well-being. They suggest that the COVID-19 related conditions may create intrafamilial closeness, joint problem-solving and deeper relationships.…”

“…Moreover, based on existing literature on aggravated family strain and psychological problems of parents caring for a child with ASD ( Manning et al, 2020 ) we expected that 2) heightened levels of intrafamilial burden and parental stress would be associated with an increase in the child’s symptom severity. Single studies already give an outlook on possible opportunities and chances the crisis may hold for families and their well-being ( Pavlopoulou et al, 2020 , Singh and Sim, 2021 ). Therefore, an additional aim 3) was to explore positive opportunities and benefits perceived by parents or caregivers as a result of the crisis and to identify potential associated predictors.…”

Challenges and Opportunities in Cross-Cultural Family Research: A Critical Reflection

“…Studies by Nauck (2021) and Thadphoothon (2017) shed light on the communication problems and challenges faced in cross-cultural contexts (Nauck, 2021;Thadphoothon, 2017). Furthermore, the work of Abalkhail ( 2018) and Singh & Sim (2021) emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the communicational challenges in crosscultural research, however, particularly in the context of qualitative data translation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families (Abalkhail, 2018;Singh & Sim, 2021).…”

Adattamento e innovazione digitale nei servizi per e con le famiglie durante la pandemia Covid19. Dati sulla Regione Lombardia e dai rapporti CISF 2017-2022

“…La situazione pandemica ha infatti messo in luce come, a seguito del distanziamento sociale imposto dal virus, l'accessibilità dei servizi e l'offerta psicologica, educativa e sociale alle famiglie dovesse essere ripensata ulteriormente, in coerenza con le riforme già in corso del Programma Operativo Nazionale "Inclusione" FSE 2014-2020. Per far fronte alla crisi, diverse unità d'offerta rivolte alle famiglie si sono attivate, provando a ripensare le modalità di aiuto in un periodo di forte morfogenesi dei bisogni sociali: i diversi professionisti, nonostante la difficoltà delle sfide imposte dal distanziamento sociale, hanno attivato trasversalmente numerosi processi di cambiamento delle pratiche professionali (Singh et al, 2021), alcune prassi si sono ri-assestate con modalità inedite, sviluppando la telecomunicazione, le videochiamate e le videoconferenze su piattaforma online. Le équipe, ma anche gli utenti, hanno sperimentano piste nuove, sperimentando nuovi metodi duali/ibridi, che hanno permesso a professionisti e famiglie di lavorare insieme in modo collaborativo, sviluppando anche alcune opportunità non prevedibili ex ante (Gilligan et al, 2020).…”