ONLINE LEARNING AND PARENTAL STRESS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC; A STUDY AMONG MOTHERS OF LOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN KERALA.

Abstract

This study focuses on the stress level of the mothers of primary school children due to online learning, during Covid-19 pandemic. The researcher used descriptive research method with a quantitative approach for the study. The universe is the total number of mothers of primary school children in Kerala. The researcher used snowball sampling method. Sample size was 120. The researcher used structured survey design for collecting data. The method was conducted using online survey through social media. The instrument used is perceived stress scale (PSS) by Sheldon Cohen. The study-ndings reveal that there are 83 percent of the respondents who have children of lower primary school studying from home following COVID-19 pandemic, are having moderate level of stress. Social workers can provide mental health support to the mothers of lower primary school children who are having stress through District Mental Health Program (DMHP) identify by the eld workers like ASHAs, JPHNs and JHIs.