The Resilience and Socioeconomic Status of Caregivers and School-Aged Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives: Conducted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between (1) caregiver and child resilience; and (2) socioeconomic status (SES) and the resilience of both caregivers and children. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many unanticipated challenges for school-aged children and caregivers and navigating them required tremendous resilience. The degree to which the resilience of family members influenced one another or how it was related to economic hardships tied to the pandemic, particularly for members of low SES families, remains poorly understood. Methods: Online surveys were administered to 22 caregivers ( Mage = 40.45 years; SD = 4.55) and 27 children ( Mage = 8.19 years; SD = 1.14) to measure self-reported resilience and SES. Correlational analyses were conducted to assess both objectives. Results: Analyses detected no significant relationships between the resilience of caregivers and children, nor the resilience and SES of these groups. However, trends revealed that caregivers who reported “normal” levels of resilience had a higher average income than those who reported low levels of resilience. Conclusions: There is insufficient evidence to suggest a relationship between the resilience of caregivers and their children, but income levels may play a role in the resilience of caregivers. Implications: Targeting factors that help families with low SES navigate adversities, including those related to income, need to be identified and better understood to ensure a proactive and equitable public health response in future phases of the pandemic or similar situations.