Financial and Work Burden, Psychosocial Functioning, and Family Interactions During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: Effects on Child Outcomes.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected all aspects of family life worldwide. This study aimed to examine the effects of several family factors on child outcomes during the pandemic in Indonesia, a country with approximately 260 million people. A range of child maladjustment and child competency variables were examined, along with a set of associated variables, including family income, psychosocial functioning, and family interactions, which were modelled via Structural Equation Modelling to understand the interrelationships between variables associated with child adjustment. Using an online survey, a total of 354 parents with at least one typically developing child between the age of 2 and 10 years participated in this study. Results showed that psychosocial functioning and family interactions appeared as successive mediators between family income, financial and work burden, and child adjustment. This study highlights some key concerns to support children’s and families’ wellbeing during the pandemic in Indonesia.