engleski

Mothers' perceptions of changes in children's schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and their mental health

An increasing number of studies worldwide have demonstrated that human mental health has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which the pandemic influences people's psychological functioning. The aim of this study was to examine whether parental perceptions of changes in children's schooling during the pandemic is associated with their own mental health and parenting functioning. Because women are more involved in all aspects of parenting, including children's schooling, and prior studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic affected mental health among women more strongly than among men, this study is focused on mothers specifically. The study is part of the project How are we? Life in Croatia in the age of Coronavirus. Data was collected in two waves—the first wave (W1) was carried out in May, 2020 and the second wave (W2) in November and December of 2020. In this study, we analysed data provided by mothers of elementary- and secondary- school children (NW1 = 251, NW2 = 184). Using an online survey, mothers completed questionnaires assessing (a) their perception of their children’s current schooling, (b) parenting functioning (Parental Stress Scale and a one-item measure of level of parenting demands during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic), (c) mental health (DASS-21), and (d) subjective well-being (one-item measures of life satisfaction and optimism). The results indicate that mothers were worried about the possible negative consequences of changes in schooling during the pandemic on their children’s health and development. They also reported that online schooling, in comparison to regular schooling, is more demanding for both them and their children. Although mothers’ perceptions of children’s schooling were generally similar across the two study waves, they were slightly more negative during the second wave. In both waves, more negative perceptions of schooling were associated with poorer mental health and parenting functioning. The results suggest that mothers’ perceptions of and involvement in children’s adapted schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic may be one of the mechanisms contributing to worsening mental health and parenting functioning.

mothers ; children's schooling ; COVID-19 pandemic ; mental health

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