Since the Covid-19 pandemic last year, people have been isolating at home has given rise to depression and anxiety at high levels. Studies warned that mental health concerns have risen to levels where professional help is needed.
Study Warns Rising Mental Health Concerns Amidst Rising Covid 19 Cases
Within the initial months of the Covid 19 pandemic, the parents reported that their children were experiencing higher levels of depression and anxiety(internalising problems). This further resulted in disruptive and aggressive behaviour (externalising problems).
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As per the researchers from the Pennsylvania State University in the United States of America, the children were facing 2.5 times and 4 times more of the externalising and internalising problems (respectively). Parents were 2.4 times more likely to report “clinically significant” levels of depression ever since the pandemic hit the world.
Furthermore, parents also experienced lower levels of co-parenting quality with their partners. Research Professor of Health and Human Development at Penn State said that the size of the current changing times are considered very large in their field and is not something that they see very often.
He said that they are not only noting the overall shifts in the mental health of people. But also a great number of parents and children who were already in the clinical range of depression and behaviour problems. It is likely that they were already struggling with the disorder.
For the study, the team used data gathered from 129 families which included 122 mothers and 84 fathers. At an average there were 2.3 children in the family.
Supportive Parents Creates A Healthy Environment; Study
The research also talked about how challenging times like these and the social stress can have a massive impact on parents and children. In the light of the same, it is important to have a good co-parenting relationship which is also healthy for family’s well-being.
Feinberg said that stress (either by daily hassles or crisis driven stress) leads to conflicts and hostility within family relationships. He also added that if parents can support each other, their past research shows that it will lead to more patience and more support for the children.
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This comes after a recent study said that mental health problems is the next pandemic awaiting the world after the Coronavirus pandemic.
