Parental Coping Strategies Research Articles

Level of Stress and Coping Strategies Seen Among Parents of Neonates Admitted in NICU

Aim To assess the level of stress and coping strategies in parents of neonates admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at a tertiary care centre in North India. Materials and methods It was a descriptive/observational cross-sectional study of 3 year duration with a sample size of 224. All parents willing to participate and who could understand English or Hindi were included in the study after the informed consent. Stress levels and coping strategies were assessed using a validated questionnaire between 2nd to 7th day of admission. Demographic data was collected and parental stress and coping was quantified using likert scale. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Results Most of the parents were moderately stressed (93.3%). The most impactful stress domain was ‘Emotional’ and the most impactful question out of that domain was ‘constant fear of child’s recovery’. Of all the coping strategies, cognitive strategy was mostly used by parents. There was a negative correlation between stress and coping strategies (r = –0.09) but the result was statistically insignificant (p-value = 0.16). Of all the demographic variables, the birth order of the baby was significantly related to stress (p-value < 0.05), while parent’s education, monthly family income and area of residence were significantly related to coping (p-value < 0.05, <0.05 and <0.001, respectively). Conclusion Most of the parents were moderately stressed, with cognitive strategy being the most used by parents as the coping mechanism.

Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Depression-Anxiety-Stress Levels and Coping Strategies of Parents with Babies Treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Units During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Depression-Anxiety-Stress Levels and Coping Strategies of Parents with Babies Treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Units During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Quality of life and coping strategies used by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Oman.

Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can have a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to assess the QOL and coping strategies of parents of children with ASD in Oman. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Masarra psychiatric hospital. Telephone interviews were conducted with the parents of all children diagnosed with ASD and attending Al-Masarra Hospital between January 2018 and October 2021. Data were collected using the Ways of Coping Checklist-Revised and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Brief. A total of 304 parents participated in the study (response rate: 100%), of which 59.5% were female. The mean age of the parents and children with ASD was 40.4 ± 6.9 and 8.4 ± 2.3 years, respectively. Most children with ASD were male (78.3%) and entirely dependent upon their parents (18.1%). Seeking social support was the most common coping strategy (75.53 ± 13.99), while escape avoidance was the least common (51.78 ± 8.04). Most parents (48.7%) rated their QOL as good to very good, with acceptable scores in the psychological (70.92 ± 11.22) and social (73.27 ± 11.46) domains, borderline in the physical health domain (63.51 ± 7.77), and poor in the environmental domain (58.31 ± 11.00). Omani parents of children with ASD utilize various coping strategies, with coping skills considered a positive index for mental health in general. No significant differences were observed between Omani fathers and mothers in terms of QOL or coping strategies.

Stress and coping strategies in parents of children with special needs.

To identify the stress level and commonly used coping strategies of parents having children with special needs. The correlational study was conducted from January to April 2019 in Lahore, Pakistan, and comprised parents of special children from three special schools of the city. Data was collected using the Coping Strategies Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 24. Of the 150 children, 98(65%) were aged <10 years. Among the parents, 108(65.5%) faced moderate stress, 8(4.8%) faced low stress and 34(20.6%) faced high level of stress. Mean score was the highest for cognitive restructuring as the coping strategy 14.95±2.87, followed by problem-solving 14.81±2.98. There was a significant negative correlation of stress with cognitive restructuring (<0.01), positive link with problem-focused engagement (p<0.05), positive correlation with self-criticism (p<0.001), social withdrawal (p<0.01), and emotion-focussed disengagement (p<0.001). High level of stress was positively associated with high level of disengagement (p<0.05). Parents were found to be using more positive and practical strategies to cope with stress induced by taking care of children with special needs.

Health Equity and Enrollment in Preventive Parenting Programs: A Qualitative Study of Filipino Parents

ABSTRACT This qualitative study identified the parent health beliefs and normative beliefs related to child behavioral and mental health problems and examined the benefits and barriers of enrolling in an evidence-based parenting intervention among Filipino parents of school-aged children. A secondary aim was to also use the results to inform the development of a theory-based video intervention to increase enrollment in parenting interventions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen parents who had or had not participated in the Incredible Years® parenting program, an evidence-based parenting intervention. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using a “Coding Consensus, Co-occurrence, and Comparison” methodology, emergent themes were mapped into a matrix against a priori-coded health belief model (HBM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs. Parents believed that perceived susceptibility could be influenced by including knowledge of health disparities affecting Filipino youth in the U.S. Perceived severity was related to behavioral and mental health concerns about school, family dynamics, bullying and parent coping strategies. Perceived benefits included strengthening parent-child relationships, creating support systems, and learning positive parenting skills. Perceived barriers included logistics, stigma, and the perception of the relevance of the program, cultural factors such as generational differences about parenting, and family issues. Social norms and subjective norms related to parent participation were also discussed. Applying the HBM and TPB to enrollment in parenting interventions may explain low enrollment rates. Future interventions need to target perceived susceptibility to future behavioral health problems, barriers, and benefits to enrollment, and influence subjective and social norms.

Coping and wellbeing in families with a child with acquired brain injury compared with families in the community

Purpose Paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) negatively impacts parental wellbeing and family functioning. Adaptive coping, that is behaviours promoting emotional wellbeing and addressing distressing problems, may support wellbeing and family functioning. This study compared wellbeing, coping, and family functioning between parents of a child with ABI and parents in the community, and examined coping as a predictor of wellbeing and family functioning. Methods Forty parents of a child with ABI and 40 parents in the community participated in this cross-sectional survey using the Personal Wellbeing Index, Coping Scale for Adults Short Form, McMaster Family Assessment Device (General Functioning Subscale). Results The ABI group had statistically significantly lower wellbeing, t(68.70) = −4.01, p < 0.001, lower adaptive coping, t(73.95) = −3.27, p = 0.002, and poorer family functioning, t(77) = 4.26, p < 0.001. Family composition (single-parent/couple), having a child with ABI, adaptive coping, and non-productive coping predicted 47.7% of the variance in wellbeing, F(5, 70) = 12.75, p < 0.001. Parental education, having a child with ABI, and non-productive coping predicted 35.9% of the variance in family functioning, F(5, 69) = 7.71, p < 0.001. Conclusions Adaptive coping may contribute to better family outcomes in paediatric ABI. Implications for rehabilitation Paediatric ABI may have a significant impact on the child with ABI and the family, leading to poorer outcomes for some families. This study suggested that parents of a child with ABI use adaptive coping less than parents in the community but do not differ in the use of non-productive coping. Families need long-term targeted support to meet the challenges paediatric ABI presents and may benefit from interventions which actively seek to change parental coping strategies.

Perception of Stress and Styles of Coping with It in Parents Giving Kangaroo Mother Care to Their Children during Hospitalization in NICU.

The experience of hospitalization of a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) may become distressing both for the baby and parent. The study aimed to assess the degree of parental stress and coping strategies in parents giving KMC to their babies hospitalized in NICU compared to the control group parents not giving KMC. The prospective observational study enrolled a cohort of 337 parents of premature babies hospitalized in NICU in 2016 in Eastern Poland. The Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations were used. The level of stress in parents giving KMC was defined as low or moderate. Analysis confirmed its greater presence in the group of parents initiating KMC late (2–3 weeks) compared to those starting this initiative in week 1 of a child’s life. An additional predictor of a higher level of stress in parents initiating KMC “late” was the hospital environment of a premature baby. Task oriented coping was the most common coping strategy in the study group. KMC and direct skin-to-skin contact of the parent with the baby was associated with a higher level of parental stress only initially and decreased with time and KMC frequency.

The Effect of Applying Biopsychosocial Model on Parent's Self Efficacy and Coping Strategies of Children with Diabetes mellitus

The Effect of Applying Biopsychosocial Model on Parent's Self Efficacy and Coping Strategies of Children with Diabetes mellitus

Who Is Watching the Children? A Quantitative Analysis of Strategies for Reconciling Work and Parenting during Lockdown in Northern Italy.

(1) Background: In their efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, most countries closed schools and kindergartens. To date, little is known about the strategies of working families reconciling work and parenting during repeated lockdown situations. (2) Methods: We performed a quantitative survey of working parents in Italy during a week of ‘hard lockdown’ in February/March 2021. (3) Results: 3725 voluntary adult participants from different households responded. Though officially not allowed, 53.4% of all participants sought help from people outside the nuclear family to bridge the situation, mostly the grandparents (79%; n = 1855). Overall, parental coping strategies included alternating working–childcare-turns with their partner (35%, n = 1316), working early in the morning or during nighttime (23%; n = 850), or leaving the children unattended (25%, n = 929). (4) Conclusions: The closure of schools/kindergartens forcefully shifts the responsibility for childcare onto the nuclear family, where new strategies arose, including health-damaging models of alternating work–childcare-shifts, ‘illegal’ involvement of third parties from outside the nuclear family, as well as neglect of age-related childcare. Our findings underline that working families need additional support strategies during repeated closure of childcare institutions to be able to reduce contact and minimize secondary damage.

Parents With Mental Illness: Parental Coping Behavior and Its Association With Children's Mental Health.

The relevance of coping behavior for the individual's own mental health has been widely investigated. However, research on the association between coping of parents with a mental illness and their children's mental health is scarce. In the current study, we address the role of several parental coping strategies and their relation to child psychological symptoms. As part of the German randomized controlled multicenter study CHIMPS (children of mentally ill parents), parents with mental illness completed questionnaires on illness-related coping and child mental health symptoms. Children's diagnoses of a mental disorder were assessed with diagnostic interviews. The sample comprised n = 195 parents with mental illness and n = 290 children and adolescents aged 4–18 years. We conducted mixed models to investigate the associations of parental coping strategies with internalizing and externalizing symptoms as well as the diagnosis of a mental disorder in children controlling for sociodemographic factors and parental symptom severity. Parental coping characterized by religiosity and quest for meaning was significantly associated with fewer mental health symptoms and lower odds of a mental disorder in children, whereas a depressed processing style was related to increased internalizing problems in the children. Coping behavior in parents with mental illness is a relevant factor for the mental health of their children and should be considered in preventive interventions.

Coping strategies used by mothers and fathers following diagnosis of congenital heart disease.

Parents of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) exhibit high rates of mental health difficulties, which can influence child developmental and behavioural outcomes. While extensive research has focused on CHD-related stressors that contribute to parental mental health difficulties, few studies have investigated parental coping strategies that may mitigate or heighten risk. This study aimed to identify parental coping strategies following diagnosis of CHD and compare use of coping strategies among different groups (mothers vs. fathers; prenatal vs. postnatal diagnosis). A diverse sample of 34 parents (20 mothers and 14 fathers) of young children with CHD participated in semistructured interviews focused on their responses to CHD-related stressors. Coping strategies were identified from qualitative data and categorized according to the COPE Inventory, an instrument that assesses common adult responses to stress. Coping strategies deemed as unique to parenting a critically ill child were identified. χ2 and independent sample t tests evaluated group differences. Parents described using between 1 and 10 different adaptive and maladaptive strategies measured by the COPE Inventory. Most parents (82.35%) also described coping strategies that may be unique to parenting a critically ill child. Mothers were more likely than fathers to report a focus on and venting of emotions (70% vs. 21.43%) and behavioural disengagement (25% vs. 0%). Compared with parents receiving a postnatal CHD diagnosis, those receiving a prenatal diagnosis described a greater variety of coping strategies (6.23 vs. 4.52) and more often reported positive reinterpretation and growth (69.23% vs. 14.29%), behavioural disengagement (38.46% vs. 0%) and denial (38.46% vs. 0%). Parents of children with CHD utilize a variety of coping strategies, some of which are maladaptive. Interventions tailored to the needs of mothers and fathers of young children with CHD, including those receiving a postnatal diagnosis, are needed to promote adaptive coping and optimize family psychosocial outcomes.

Challenges and coping strategies of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Eswatini

Background: Research shows that the debilitating effects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) not only have an impact on the child, but on the parents and caregivers as well. This study aimed to explore the challenges and coping strategies of parents of children with ASD in Eswatini. Methodology: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative study that used purposive sampling to interview parents of children with ASD was utilised. Data were gathered using two focus groups, three dyads, and two semi-structured interviews. There were 18 participants in this study. Data were interpreted by thematic analysis, and considered according to Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. Findings: The themes were in alignment with the aim of this study, namely the “challenges of parents of children with ASD” and “coping strategies of parents of children with ASD”. Significant personal and societal difficulties, the severity of the symptoms of ASD, and challenges in the health and education systems were subthemes identified under the “challenges of parents” theme. The subthemes that emerged from the “coping strategies” theme were adaptive coping and maladaptive coping. Factors associated with adaptive coping included acceptance of the ASD diagnosis, optimism and faith in God, social support, and celebrating milestones. Maladaptive coping strategies encompassed using corporal punishment, avoidance, social withdrawal, and keeping the child locked in. Conclusion: Recommendations made to mitigate the challenges included strengthening research into ASD, increasing awareness in communities, and training professionals working in the field of ASD.

Effect of Antenatal Nursing Interventions on Knowledge, Attitudes and Coping Strategies of Pregnant Women who Detected Fetal Anomalies regarding Congenital Anomalies

Background: Congenital anomalies represent a public health concern and the leading cause of mortality in developed and developing countries. Approximately 50% of all congenital anomalies cannot be linked to a specific cause. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of antenatal nursing interventions on knowledge, attitudes, and coping strategies of pregnant women who detected fetal anomalies regarding congenital anomalies. Subjects and Methods: Design: A quasi-experimental design was utilized in this study. Setting: This study was conducted at the antenatal clinic at Beni Suef University Hospital. Sample: A total of 75 pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic and detected fetal anomalies. Four tools were used for data collection: (1) A structured interviewing questionnaire, (2) Assessment of pregnant women knowledge about the congenital anomalies, (3) Attitude scale this tool evaluating attitudes of pregnant women towards how detected fetal congenital anomalies, and (4) Parental Coping Strategies Inventory (PCSI). Results: The mean age of the participating women were 25.9±5.4 years. After the program, the participating women's knowledge of congenital anomalies regarding types, risk factors, and prevention have raised (p < 0.05), and the attitudes towards having a child with anomaly were improved, chances of rehabilitation from 0.40±0.49 to 0.77±0.42, and leading a normal life from 0.64±0.48 to 0.89±0.31 (p < 0.05). A statistically significant improvement was found between the knowledge, attitude, and the Coping Strategies Inventory of the studied pregnant women as pre/ immediate post one month of antenatal nursing intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Implementation of antenatal nursing intervention for pregnant women regarding congenital anomalies had a positive effect on improving their knowledge and attitude. Recommendations: Healthcare providers should encourage mothers to use coping strategies that are likely to be more effective. Further studies should focus on the quality of life and the coping strategies used by women with children who have congenital anomalies.

Potential Factors of Parenting Stress in Chinese Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

The sizable prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China has recently emerged as an urgent public health issue; however, studies investigating parenting stress in Chinese parents of children with ASD lack clarity in identifying the potential factors of stress. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and categorize the potential factors of stress based on findings in the literature. An extensive search of articles in online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost (ERIC, MEDLINE and PsycINFO), was conducted, as a result of which 24 eligible articles published from 2007 to 2019 were identified. Four key categories of potential factors of parental stress—cultural factors, parents’ psychopathological symptoms, problem behaviors in ASD children, and caregiver burden—were identified. The impact of these potential factors on parental coping strategies and on the quality of life in affected families were also discussed.

Coping With Adolescents Affected by Anorexia Nervosa: The Role of Parental Personality Traits

IntroductionAnorexia nervosa (AN) promotes psychological distress in caregivers who adopt different coping strategies. Dysfunctional caregiving styles exacerbate further distress in the patient promoting the maintenance of the illness. We aimed to assess the possible contribution of personality traits of caregivers to the adoption of different coping strategies to deal with the affected relative.MethodsAbout 87 adolescents with AN were recruited. Their parents completed the Family Coping Questionnaire for Eating Disorders (FCQ-EDs) and the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R). Differences between mothers and fathers were assessed through the independent sample t-test. Multivariate regression analyses were run to assess if personality traits, the occurrence of psychiatry conditions in the parents, the marital status, and the duration of the illness predicted parental coping strategies.ResultsThe group of mothers showed higher levels of avoidance and seeking for information coping strategies than the sample of fathers. Lower illness duration predicted higher collusion with the illness in both parents. Harm avoidance, cooperativeness, and self-directedness positively predicted parental coercion, collusion, and seeking for information strategies with some differences between mothers and fathers.DiscussionIllness duration and personality traits of parents affect the type of parental coping strategies developed to face AN in adolescents. These variables should be considered in the assessment of families of adolescents with AN and may be addressed to promote more fine-tuned clinical interventions for caregivers.

مستويات الإجهاد الوالدي واستراتيجيات التکيف لدى أمهات الأطفال والمراهقين من ذوي الإعاقة في ضوء بعض المتغيرات الديموجرافية. دراسة مقارنة Parental stress levels and coping strategies of mothers of children and adolescents with disabilities In view of some demographic variables.

الملخص: هدف البحث إلى تحديد مستويات الإجهاد الوالدي لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة العقلية، وذوي اضطراب طيف التوحد، وذوي الشلل الدماغي في مرحلتي الطفولة والمراهقة، والتعرف على استراتيجيات التکيف المختلفة المستخدمة لمواجهة الإجهاد الوالدي في ضوء بعض المتغيرات الديموجرافية، وذلک من خلال دراسة وصفية مقارنة على عينة من (150) من أمهات الأطفال ذوي الإعاقة، وأعتمد البحث على مقياس الإجهاد الوالدي ( إعداد بيري وجونز ، 1995)، الصورة المختصرة لبطارية التکيف مع الإجهاد( إعداد کارفر، 1997)، وخرج البحث بالعديد من النتائج والتي من أهمها وجود علاقة ارتباطية ذات دلالة احصائية بين مستويات الإجهاد الوالدي واستراتيجيات التکيف لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة، وجود فروق ذات دلالة احصائية بين متوسطات درجات الإجهاد الوالدي لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة تبعا لنوع الإعاقة لصالح أمهات ذوي الشلل الدماغي، وجود فروق ذات دلالة احصائية بين متوسطات درجات استراتيجيات التکيف لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة تبعا لنوع الإعاقة، وجود فروق ذات دلالة احصائية بين متوسطي درجات الإجهاد الوالدي لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة تبعا للمرحلة العمرية للإبن لصالح مرحلة المراهقة. ووجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين متوسطي درجات التکيف نحو المشکلة لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة لصالح مرحلة الطفولة، وبين متوسطي درجات التکيف الديني لصالح مرحلة المراهقة، ووجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين متوسطات درجات الإجهاد الوالدي لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة تبعا لمستوى تعليم الأمهات لصالح الأمهات ذوات التعليم المنخفض ، ووجود فروق في استخدام استراتيجيات التکيف نحو المشکلة لصالح الأمهات ذوات المستوى التعليمي المرتفع، وفي استخدام استراتيجيات التکيف الديني، والتکيف بالفکاهة لصالح الأمهات ذوات المستوى التعليمي المنخفض، وکشف البحث عن امکانية التنبؤ بالإجهاد الوالدي لدى أمهات ذوي الإعاقة بمعلومية درجاتهم على استراتيجيات التکيف، وأوصى البحث بضرورة تطوير برامج الدعم النفسي الفردية المقدمة لأسر ذوي الإعاقة، ودعم الکفاءة الذاتية للأمهات. Abstract: The current research aims to determine the stress levels of mothers of people with mental disabilities, people with autism spectrum disorder, and those with cerebral palsy with mental disability, in the stages of childhood and adolescence , identify the different coping strategies used to confront parental stress In view of some demographic. The study belongs to comparative descriptive type of studies and applies the Parental Stress Scale (Perry & Jones, 1995), Brief-COPE Inventory (Carver, 1997), and included (150) mothers of children and adolescents with disabilities. The study reached several conclusions; the most important of them was presence of statistically significant correlation between parental stress levels and coping strategies of mothers, Presence of statistically significant differences between the averages of parental stress scores for mothers according to the type of disability, presence of statistically significant differences between the averages the degrees of coping strategies of mothers according to the type of disability, presence of statistically significant differences between the mean degrees of parental stress and use of coping strategies among mothers according to the age of the son, presence of statistically significant differences between the mean degrees of parental stress and use of coping strategies among mothers according to the education level of mothers, It is possible to predict parental stress among mothers given their scores on coping strategies. The research recommended the necessity to develop individual psychological support programs provided to families of people with disabilities, and to support the self-efficacy of mothers.

The interplay between maternal childhood maltreatment, parental coping strategies as well as endangered parenting behavior during the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The SARS-CoV-2-pandemic is associated different challenges, especially for families. The disruption and challenges require parents to develop strategies to cope with the current situation. One factor that may influence how parents deal with pandemic-associated stressors are experiences of parental childhood maltreatment (CM), which represent a high risk of engaging in endangered parenting. A decisive candidate for the connection between parental CM and the transgenerational transmission could be the parental ability to employ coping strategies. Mothers of a well-documented birth cohort for investigating the pathways leading to resilience or vulnerability in the transgenerational transmission of CM were imbedded in an online “SARS-CoV-2 pandemic survey” assessing maternal ability for coping strategies and the dimension of endangered maternal parenting behavior. 91 mothers completed the online survey. To describe the maternal CM, data from a longitudinal survey were used. Our mediation analysis shows a significant positive relationship between the sum of maternal CM experiences, lack of coping strategies and endangered parenting behavior. This suggests a partial mediation of the association between CM and endangered parenting behavior as the direct effect remained significant when the maternal lack of coping strategies was included as the mediator. Parental CM is a risk factor for coping with stressful situation as well as for endangered parenting behavior. The ability to deal with stress seems to have a significant influence on the context of a possible transgenerational transmission of CM. The results underline the need to consider the unique needs of families with children and to support them as to how to overcome the current crisis.

Burden and coping strategies of parents of children with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in Hong Kong: A qualitative study.

AimAttention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a prevalent mental disorder among children worldwide. The parents of children with ADHD experience great burden. However, burden and coping styles of these parents are seldom explored. The present study aimed to illustrate the burden and coping strategies of parents of children with Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.DesignA descriptive qualitative study design was employed.MethodsSamples were recruited from a general primary school in Hong Kong using convenience sampling. An information sheet was provided to participants, and written informed consent was obtained. Content analysis was conducted after the interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. COREQ reporting guidelines were used.ResultsIndividual, face‐to‐face interviews were conducted, using a semi‐structured interview guide with 12 parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Four themes (academic burden, children's social dependence, uncertainty regarding parenting strategies before diagnosis and emotional hardship) and three themes (acting according to situation, employing problemfocused coping methods and acceptance) emerged for burden and coping strategies, respectively. Coping strategies processes were also found. Medical diagnosis was reported to be a critical point for parents to shift their coping strategies. Timely interventions, such as early assessment and diagnosis, are recommended during or after medical diagnosis.

The psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults and children in the United Arab Emirates: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe psychosocial impact of previous infectious disease outbreaks in adults has been well documented, however, there is limited information on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults and children in the United Arab Emirate (UAE) community. The aim of this study was to explore anxiety levels among adults and children in the UAE and to identify potential risk and protective factors for well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsUsing a web-based cross-sectional survey we collected data from 2200 self-selected, assessed volunteers and their children. Demographic information, knowledge and beliefs about COVID-19, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) using the (GAD-7) scale, emotional problems in children using the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), worry and fear about COVID-19, coping mechanisms and general health information were collected. Descriptive analysis was carried out to summarize demographic and participant characteristics, Chi-square analysis to explore associations between categorical variables and anxiety levels and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of anxiety levels in adults and emotional problems in children.ResultsThe overall prevalence of GAD in the general population was 71% with younger people (59.8%) and females (51.7%) reporting highest levels of anxiety. Parents who were teachers reported the highest percentage of emotional problems in children (26.7%). Adjusted multivariable logistic regression for GAD-7 scores showed that being female, high levels of worry associated with COVID-19, intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine and smoking were associated with higher levels of anxiety. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression for SDQ showed that higher emotional problems were reported for children in lower and higher secondary education, and parents who had severe anxiety were seven times more likely to report emotional problems in their children.ConclusionsThis study reports the psychological impact of COVID-19 among adults and children in the UAE and highlights the significant association between parental and child anxiety. Findings suggest the urgency for policy makers to develop effective screening and coping strategies for parents and especially children.

Effects of a Web-Based Pediatric Oncology Legacy Intervention on Parental Coping.

To examine the effects of a legacy intervention for children with advanced cancer and their parents on parental coping strategies. The authors recruited 150 children with advanced cancer and their parents via Facebook. Child-parent dyads were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care. Children in the intervention group created electronic digital storyboards to assist in documenting their legacies. Parents completed the Responses to Stress Questionnaire at baseline/preintervention (T1) and postintervention (T2). Linear regressions were used to test for differences between the groups in the amount of change from T1 to T2 for each parent coping score. Although not statistically significant, the legacy intervention showed trends toward increasing use of primary control and disengagement coping strategies in parents over time relative to usual care. Nurses can help to facilitate opportunities for parents to use adaptive coping strategies. More work is needed to determine how legacy interventions in pediatric oncology can facilitate adaptive coping strategies for parents of children with cancer.