FAMILY BONDING IN CONFINEMENT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, the family became the primary setting in which people were confined. As a result, the family bond during confinement is an important phenomenon to study. Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to determine if the family bond would influence the changes in mental health brought on by confinement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: The methodological were a Systematic Review using the PRISMA model in the search engines Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, PSYINFO, Taylor and Francis, Sciendo, Academic Search Ultimate, and Medline between September 2021 and April 2022. NOS (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) was utilized. Results: Concerning the search results, it was possible to identify seven relevant studies for analysis: four on the variables associated with psychological well-being during the pandemic and two on the perceived changes in emotional state during the pandemic. Conclusions: the effects of confinement on mental health are characterized by an increase in negative emotions, heightened perceptions of stress, anxiety, and depression, and altered sleep patterns. Concerning the influence of the family bond on mental health, it was discovered that when the bond is perceived as positive and strong, that is, the individual perceives that their basic, social, and affective needs are covered, it becomes a protective factor for mental health, regulating the manifestation of stress, favoring the manifestation of positive emotions over negative ones, and becoming emotionally supportive.