Parental stress as a mediator between parents’ emotion regulation and youth’s psychological symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Mental health in families has been affected by COVID-19 stressors. Parental stress and emotion regulation can moderate the emotional effects on their children. This study analyzes the role of parental stress as a mediating variable between parents’ emotion regulation and children’s symptoms. Participants were 214 parents of youth aged 3-17 years, who completed an online survey providing information about parental variables and symptoms in their children. The results show that parental stress mediates the relationship between parental emotion regulation and children’s psychological symptoms. Thus, parents who used cognitive reappraisal strategy less frequently reported more psychological symptoms in their children and higher parental stress. Parents who used expressive suppression more frequently also reported more psychological symptoms in their children and higher parental stress. The present study provides novel information by relating parental psychological variables with psychological variables in youth during a period characterized by the most significant psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.