Families in Confinement: A Pre-Post COVID-19 Study

This study documents how the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting containment measures affected family members. It is carried out with 127 parents with at least one child aged between 5 and 17, who have previously benefited from a parenting support program due to difficulties in raising at least one of their children. Through a questionnaire completed before and after the pandemic, one year apart, this study reveals some deterioration in the psychological health of the parents (reduction in parental self-efficacy, increase in psychological distress), but an improvement in the psychological health of children (reduction in depressive and anxiety symptoms). Parents also reported a reduction in prosocial behaviors in their children and a stability in their behavioral problems, hyperactivity and inattention. Finally, the results show a stability of parental stress and parenting practices, including the exposure of the child to psychologically and physically violent parenting behavior within the home. These results illustrate the resilience of families in times of crisis and the effectiveness of parents in protecting the psychological integrity of their children. However, they highlight the risk of deteriorating parental mental health and their need for support in these troubled times.