The COVID-19 pandemic has affected families in many ways. As individuals are struggling with anxiety, uncertainty, fears, and changes at work and in social relationships, loneliness, depression and despair have been on the rise. Since families are not closed systems that are shut off from the world and the fears and uncertainties experienced by family members, they are susceptible to the state of the world around them.
Investigators found large deterioration from before the pandemic to the first months of the pandemic in children, parent depression, and a moderate decline in co-parenting quality. Mothers and families with lower levels of income were at particular risk for deterioration in well‐being. Suggested are widespread family support and intervention to prevent potential family “scarring,” that is, prolonged, intertwined individual mental health and family relationship problems.