Economic Hardship and Children's Mental Health: What Journalists Need to Know

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a profound impact on many aspects of society, not least of which is the economic stability of families. A recent study from the University of Ohio provides valuable insights into how economic insecurity has trickled down to affect the mental health of children. Here’s what journalists need to know about these findings and their implications.

The study, published in the journal Child & Family Social Work, explored the ripple effects of pandemic-induced economic hardships on family dynamics and children's mental health. Researchers focused on 259 parents with children aged 12 and under, all of whom reported experiencing at least one economic hardship due to the pandemic.

"Pandemic-induced economic hardship had this downstream spillover effect that was ultimately linked negatively with their children's mental health," said Joyce Lee, lead author of the study and assistant professor of social work at The Ohio State University. "Our findings parallel with other descriptive research showing that children's mental health plummeted during the pandemic."

The study found that parents facing higher levels of economic insecurity reported increased depressive symptoms. This initial stress set off a chain reaction impacting other aspects of family life. Depressive symptoms among parents were linked to poorer relationship quality with their partners. Increased disagreements and conflicts among couples were noted during the pandemic.

Additionally, this strain on parental relationships led to more harsh parenting behaviors, including yelling, screaming, and physical punishment like spanking. These harsh parenting practices were directly linked to increased internalizing behaviors in children, such as frequent crying, loneliness, fear, and anxiety.

Positive family dynamics can serve as a buffer against external pressures, the study found. There is a pressing need for robust social safety nets and early interventions to support families before economic difficulties cascade into severe mental health issues for children. While this research was conducted during the pandemic, its findings are applicable to other economic downturns and disasters, suggesting that similar patterns of stress and impact could emerge in future crises.

The study found no significant gender difference in how mothers and fathers responded to economic problems during the pandemic. This was surprising given reports that mothers were more adversely affected by COVID-19, with greater career impacts and increased childcare responsibilities due to school closures. These reports suggested that mothers might fare worse than fathers, but this study did not support that conclusion. However, lead author Lee noted that the sample size was relatively small, indicating that further research is needed to confirm any potential gender differences in reactions to the pandemic.