From “It Has Stopped Our Lives” to “Spending More Time Together Has Strengthened Bonds”: The Varied Experiences of Australian Families During COVID-19

Abstract

The present study uses a qualitative approach to understand the impact of COVID-19 on family life. Australian parents of children aged 0-18 years were recruited via social media between April 8 and April 28, 2020, when Australians were experiencing social distancing/isolation measures for the first time. As part of a larger survey, participants were asked to respond via an open-ended question about how COVID-19 had impacted their family. A total of 2,130 parents were included and represented a diverse range of family backgrounds. Inductive template thematic analysis was used to understand patterns of meaning across the texts. Six themes were derived from the data, including "Boredom, depression and suicide: A spectrum of emotion," "Families are missing the things that keep them healthy," "Changing family relationships: The push pull of intimacy," "The unprecedented demands of parenthood," "The unequal burden of COVID-19," and "Holding on to positivity." Overall, the findings demonstrated a breadth of responses. Messages around loss and challenge were predominant, with many families reporting mental health difficulties and strained family relationships. However, not all families were negatively impacted by the restrictions, with some families reporting positive benefits and meaning, including opportunities for strengthening relationships, finding new hobbies, and developing positive characteristics such as appreciation, gratitude, and tolerance.

Impact of COVID-19 Confinement on Adolescent Patients with Anorexia Nervosa: A Qualitative Interview Study Involving Adolescents and Parents

“…However, as also shown by this study and discussed below, such feelings were linked to reduced motivation to work on recovery and disturbed mood in AN patients. Moreover, improvements in family relationships and more time for relaxation and self-care observed in the present sample were also reported in the general population of adolescents [ 36 , 37 ]. However, as indicated by the results of this study, better family relationships and increased self-care behaviors might be linked to the promotion of recovery in eating disorder patients.…”

Children’s Independent Mobility and Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study with Families

“…At times, there was an opportunity to form new community bubbles with neighbours to ensure active social engagement and support mental health. Similar reflections have been identified among families in Australia, including being stressed and missing out on important social activities as well as disruption in routines and activities [ 37 ]. Children may be especially vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic as they are in critical periods of development and have limited control over their own circumstances or decision-making, impacting mental health [ 25 , 38 ].…”

Responsive caregiving, opportunities for early learning, and children’s safety and security during COVID-19: A rapid review

“…Thus pandemic-related strategies for parents and caregivers could focus on supportive parenting interventions and home or internet-based exercise interventions. Lastly, a few studies point towards mixed and potentially positive impacts of the COVID-19 restrictions on deepening family ties, improving couples’ relationships, and developing new family hobbies or activities [13,22,46,52–54]. However, such positive benefits were typically found among the parents and caregivers of older children or adolescents and among families with several protective factors, including financial stability, comfortable and safe homes, enough food to eat, good health, and healthy couple relationships [22, 46].…”