The consequences of work-family conflict in families on the behavior of the child

The balancing act between work and family life can be a challenge that affects both the parents and other members of a family. This study investigates the effect of a parent's experience of work-family conflict on the behavior of the child. Parental well-being and parenting act as mediators, as previous studies have suggested that this relationship does not run directly. Data from 969 children in the Pairfam database were analyzed using structural equation modelling. The results reveal that both directions of work-family conflict (WIF and FIW) have a negative impact on parental well-being, and only the specific negative spillover from family to work (FIW) influencing parenting performance. In addition, although good levels of well-being and adequate parenting have a positive influence on the behavior of children, the specific spillover effects from work responsibilities to the family (WIF) are apparently unrelated to parenting.Der Spagat zwischen Beruf und Familie kann eine Herausforderung sein, die sowohl die Eltern als auch andere Familienmitglieder betrifft. In dieser Studie wird untersucht, wie sich die Erfahrung eines Elternteils mit Konflikten zwischen Arbeit und Familie auf das Verhalten des Kindes auswirkt. Das elterliche Wohlbefinden und deren Erziehung der Kinder fungieren als Vermittler, da frühere Studien gezeigt haben, dass diese Beziehung nicht direkt verläuft. Es wurden Daten von 969 Kindern aus der Pairfam-Datenbank mithilfe von Strukturgleichungsmodellen analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich beide Richtungen des Konflikts zwischen Arbeit und Familie (WIF und FIW) negativ auf das Wohlergehen der Eltern auswirken und dass nur die spezifischen negativen Auswirkungen von Familie auf Arbeit (FIW) die Erziehung der Eltern beeinflussen. Darüber hinaus haben ein hohes Wohlbefinden und eine angemessene Erziehung zwar einen positiven Einfluss auf das Verhalten von Kindern, die spezifischen Auswirkungen der Verantwortlichkeiten, die sich aus der Arbeit ergeben, auf die Familie (WIF) stehen jedoch offensichtlich in keinem Zusammenhang mit der Erziehung

The Consequences of Work–Family Enrichment in Families on the Behaviour of Children

This study considers the spillover effect of work-family enrichment in parents on the behaviour of their children. Using a mediation model with parental well-being and parenting styles, the study unravels the associations between a positive perspective on work-life balance and the outcomes in a child’s live. Using 4012 parents from the data of the Australian LSAC (Growing up in Australia), the model shows that children’s behaviour is influenced by parents’ experience of work-family enrichment through parental well-being. Also, parenting performance functions as a mediator between work-family enrichment and the behaviour of the child. Parents show more stimulating parenting behaviour when they experience enrichment between work and their family

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdown measures on lifestyle behaviors and wellbeing in children and adolescents with severe obesity

Introduction: COVID-19 lockdown measures have large impact on lifestyle behaviors and wellbeing of children. The aim of this mixed-methods study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on eating styles and behaviors, physical activity (PA), screen time, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children (0-18 years) with severe obesity. Methods: During the first COVID-19 wave (April 2020), validated questionnaires were completed and semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with parents of children with severe obesity (adult BMI-equivalent ≥35kg/m2) and/or with the children themselves. Changes in pre-pandemic versus lockdown scores of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire Children (DEBQ-C), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQLTM), and Dutch PA Questionnaire were assessed. Qualitative analyses were performed according to the Grounded Theory. Results: Ninety families were approached of which 83 families were included. Characteristics of the included children were: mean age 11.2 ± 4.6 years, 52% female, mean BMI SD-score +3.8 ± 1.0. Emotional, restrained, and external eating styles, HRQoL, and (non-educational) screen time did not change on group level (all p>0.05). However, weekly PA decreased (mean difference -1.9 hours/week, p=0.02), mostly in adolescents. In the majority of children, mean weekly PA decreased to ≤2 hours/week. Children with high emotional and external eating scores during lockdown or pre-existent psychosocial problems had the lowest HRQoL (p<0.01). Qualitative analyses revealed an increased demand for food in a significant proportion of children (n=21), mostly in children <10 years (19/21). This was often attributed to loss of daily structure and perceived stress. Families who reported no changes (n=15) or improved eating behaviors (n=11) attributed this to already existing strict eating schemes that they kept adhering to during lockdown. Conclusion: This study shows differing responses to COVID-19 lockdown measures in children with severe obesity. On group level, PA significantly decreased and in substantial minorities eating styles and HRQoL deteriorated. Children with pre-existent psychosocial problems or pre-pandemic high external or emotional eating scores were most at risk. These children and their families should be targeted by health care professionals to minimize negative physical and mental health consequences