Mental Health Is a Family Affair—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Associations between Mental Health Problems in Parents and Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

As a multidimensional and universal stressor, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the mental health of children, adolescents, and adults worldwide. In particular, families faced numerous restrictions and challenges. From the literature, it is well known that parental mental health problems and child mental health outcomes are associated. Hence, this review aims to summarize the current research on the associations of parental mental health symptoms and child mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a systematic literature search in Web of Science (all databases) and identified 431 records, of which 83 articles with data of over 80,000 families were included in 38 meta-analyses. A total of 25 meta-analyses resulted in significant small to medium associations between parental mental health symptoms and child mental health outcomes (r = 0.19 to 0.46, p < 0.05). The largest effects were observed for the associations of parenting stress and child mental health outcomes. A dysfunctional parent–child interaction has been identified as a key mechanism for the transmission of mental disorders. Thus, specific parenting interventions are needed to foster healthy parent–child interactions, to promote the mental health of families, and to reduce the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parenting stress in parents with and without a mental illness and its relationship to psychopathology in children: a multimodal examination

“…Confirming our hypothesis, we found parents with a mental illness to report higher levels of PS than parents without a mental illness. This is in line with previous studies on parents with depression and anxiety symptoms ( 30 , 33 – 35 , 70 – 74 , 88 ). Taking a closer look at the questionnaire’s scales, we found parents with a mental illness to perceive less social support and less support in parental relationship.…”

Effects of COVID-19-targeted non-pharmaceutical interventions on pediatric hospital admissions in North Italian hospitals, 2017 to 2022: a quasi-experimental study interrupted time-series analysis

“…However, young people were deeply affected by the restrictive measures imposed globally to reduce transmission, such as quarantine, lockdown, and social distancing, often referred to as Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs), which considerably changed their daily lives ( 3 ). They were confined at home for long periods, with limited opportunity for learning and reduced peer contact, together with adults who were often anxious or psychologically stressed by the circumstances, which added to their own discomfort ( 3 , 4 ). School closure, enforced in many countries with different durations, was particularly relevant for these age groups, as school is where children and adolescents spend most of their time, and have opportunity for both social interactions and intellectual stimulation ( 5 ).…”

Mental illness in children and its determinants in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis, 2023

“…Children from families with lower socio-economic status were more likely to suffer from mental illness than those from families with higher status. Similarly, a study conducted in Norway (Kinge et al, 2021), a systematic review conducted in low- and middle-income countries (Ribeiro et al, 2023), and a systematic review conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (Stracke et al, 2023) all found that children’s mental health was related to their parents' socio-economic status. This could be because a low socio-economic status causes social stress and stigma, both of which contribute to poor mental health.…”