The Role of Parental Emotion Regulation on Child Behaviors in Autistic and Other Developmentally-Disabled Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediation by Dysfunctional Parent-Child Interactions

The ability of parents to manage emotions and cope with stress is a key factor in shaping child psychological outcomes (Zimmer-Gembeck et al., 2021). However, limited research has investigated these relationships in families with developmentally and intellectually-disabled children (DD/ID) children, who may be especially vulnerable to the effects of parental stress, particularly stress related to the quality of parent-child relationships (Abbeduto et al., 2004). This study explored the impact of parental emotion regulation (ER) on child behaviors and the mediating effects of parent-child dysfunctional interactions (PCDI) in families with DD/ID children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents of 40 of DD/ID children completed measures of parental ER (Gratz & Roemer, 2004), child behavior (Sparrow et al., 2016), and parenting stress (Abidin, 1995). Overall parenting stress and stress related to PCDI were positively correlated with difficulties in parental ER and child behaviors (rs =.431-.749, p\u3c.05). Parental ER significantly predicted child behaviors (Btotal=.217, p\u3c.01). Mediation analysis indicated a significant indirect effect of parenting stress between parent ER and child behaviors (Bindirect=.189, 95% CI [.07,.38]). Specifically, a significant indirect effect of PCDI fully mediated the relationship between difficulties in parental ER and child behaviors (Bindirect=.125, 95% CI [.03,.28]; Figure 1). These findings contextualize the relationship between parent ER and child behaviors by underscoring the mediating role of parenting stress, including stress concerning parent-child interactions. This suggests teaching parents effective strategies for managing emotions and stress reduction may be an important avenue for improving parent-child relationships and thus minimizing children’s risk for challenging behaviors

A meta-analytic examination of sensitive responsiveness as a mediator between depression in mothers and psychopathology in children.

The current meta-analysis examined the mediating role of sensitive-responsive parenting in the relationship between depression in mothers and internalizing and externalizing behavior in children. A systematic review of the path of maternal sensitive responsiveness to child psychopathology identified eligible studies. Meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) allowed for the systematic examination of the magnitude of the indirect effect across 68 studies (N = 15,579) for internalizing and 92 studies (N = 26,218) for externalizing psychopathology. The synthesized sample included predominantly White, English-speaking children (age range = 1 to 205 months; Mage = 66 months; 47% female) from Western, industrialized countries. The indirect pathway was small in magnitude and similar for externalizing (b = .02) and internalizing psychopathology (b = .01). Moderator analyses found that the indirect pathway for externalizing problems was stronger when mother-child interactions were observed during naturalistic and free-play tasks rather than structured tasks. Other tested moderators were not significant

A qualitative study of social anxiety and impairment amid the COVID-19 pandemic for adolescents and young adults in Portugal and the US

This qualitative investigation explored the social and academic experiences of socially anxious adolescents and young adults in Portugal and the US as they lived through the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were 10 Portuguese adolescents (mean age = 16.9 years; 50% female) and 7 young adults in the US (mean age = 19.67 years; 71% female; racially/ethnically diverse). Participants completed a semi-structured interview evaluating how the pandemic and social restrictions impacted social anxiety symptoms and associated functional impairment in social and academic domains. Thematic analysis was used to categorize responses across developmental stages and countries. Findings show consistent patterns across cultures, with symptoms of SAD extending to virtual contexts. Participants reported avoidance behaviors that were reinforced by social distancing mandates and declines in academic engagement during remote learning. Anticipatory anxiety about the return to normal social routines was also evident. Schools should be aware of the impact of social confinement on socially anxious students as they return to in person school schedules and social demands