Anxiety and coping as predictors of parenting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted family life, presenting parents with unique challenges in managing work, homeschooling, and childcare responsibilities. Previous research has shown that individual psychological factors, such as anxiety and coping mechanisms, are associated with parenting practices. However, the specific relationship between these factors and parenting practices during the pandemic remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between anxiety levels, coping, and parenting practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed a quantitative approach utilizing secondary data gathered through an online survey. The investigation involved a comprehensive sample of 278 participants, and the data was subjected to descriptive, correlational, and multiple regression analyses. The findings revealed significant relationships between Anxiety, Coping, and Parenting practices (r = -.205 to .220, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that economic status was the strongest predictor of parenting practices (β = -0.260, p < 0.01), followed by Coping (β = 0.149, p < 0.05), and Anxiety (β = -0.127, p < 0.05) and R-squared indicated 15.53% of variance explained. The study emphasizes how coping mechanisms and levels of anxiety significantly affect parenting practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It stresses the need to encourage effective coping strategies to improve positive parenting, especially in crisis situations. Additionally, the study suggests that factors like occupational health and socioeconomic status highlight the necessity of broader support systems to help parents navigate these difficult times more successfully.