ijerph-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Children’s Mental Health, Parenting, Family and Groups’ Resilience in Crisis

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 30935

Special Issue Editors

Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy
Interests: developmental psychopathology; children and adolescents psychiatry; family interactions; family functioning; health care institution; multidisciplinary treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
1. Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Padua University Hospital, 35128 Padua, Italy
2. Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, 35131 Padua, Italy
Interests: developmental psychopathology; parenting; clinical psychology; family interactions; family functioning; LGBTQI+ issues
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the whole world to its knees, provoking health, social, and economic upheavals, thus potentially contributing to widespread emotional distress and an increased risk of psychiatric disorders in people of all ages. Following the loss of economic and psychological support, families have faced various forms of stress which have had an impact on parents and children alike: dealing with COVID-19-related stressors puts parents at a higher risk of experiencing distress, potentially undermining their ability to be supportive caregivers (e.g., increasing the use of inappropriate disciplinary strategies), which in turn might lead to a higher risk of physical abuse and neglect for their children. Several scholars and professional organizations have expressed concern that children and adolescents in particular may be at increased risk for psychological disturbances.

In psychology, the ability to thrive in the face of adversity is known as resilience—an essential concept in child development, mental health theory, and research. A focus on family resilience seeks to identify and foster the critical processes that enable families to cope more effectively with crises or persistent forms of stress and emerge stronger from challenging situations, be the stressors internal or external to the family itself. For this purpose, we are collecting contributions for a Special Issue on Children’s Mental Health, Parenting, Family and Groups’ Resilience in Crisis. We invite the submission of original research papers, reviews, notes, comments, etc., to be published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health by MDPI. Qualitative or quantitative contributions from basic or applied research that will extend the knowledge in this field are welcomed.

Our aim is to shed light on children’s and parents’ emotional-behavioral state and how it evolves during the crisis period, identifying stress factors and resilience factors. It could also be interesting to investigate the types of treatment provided in the time of crisis (primary or secondary prevention), assessing families’ adaptation to changes in the way they receive care, and their efficacy in terms of managing patients’ emotional-behavioral difficulties.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish relevant research dealing with family, parent, and child/adolescent health in times of crisis, with consistent clinical implications to strengthen the family as a functional unit and enable it to foster all its members' resilience. It could also be interesting to present experiences about individual or group psychological and emotional support that focuses on stress management.

We encourage authors to send a short abstract (500 words max.) and a tentative title in advance. Completed manuscripts must be submitted via the online portal.

All submitted manuscripts will be processed through a rapid peer-review process.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Dr. Michela Gatta
Dr. Marina Miscioscia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • adolescence
  • children
  • mental health
  • family relationships
  • family interactions
  • psychopathology
  • psychotherapy
  • parent-child relationship
  • parent-child interactions
  • parenting
  • parenting stress
  • parental burnout
  • resilience
  • wellbeing

Published Papers (11 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

8 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Parental Emotional Availability and Family Functioning in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa Subtypes
by Michela Criscuolo, Chiara Marchetto, Alessandra Buzzonetti, Maria Chiara Castiglioni, Lucia Cereser, Pierandrea Salvo and Valeria Zanna
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 68; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20010068 - 21 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1829
Abstract
Emotional availability (EA) is a complex construct describing the emotional bond between parents and child, and it refers to support, sensitivity, warmth and closeness. Few studies have investigated the perception of parental EA and its association with dysfunctional eating pattern. The aim of [...] Read more.
Emotional availability (EA) is a complex construct describing the emotional bond between parents and child, and it refers to support, sensitivity, warmth and closeness. Few studies have investigated the perception of parental EA and its association with dysfunctional eating pattern. The aim of the study is to explore the perception of mothers’ and fathers’ EA of adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and any differences between the two subtypes of binge–purge (B/P) or restrictive (R) AN. Furthermore, it investigates the association of parental EA with AN symptomatology and with patients’ perception of family functioning, which is identified as a maintenance factor for AN. A total of 60 adolescents between 12 and 18 years and their parents (n = 120) were recruited in two eating disorder (ED) specialized care centers. Patients completed the LEAP and the FACES IV questionnaires evaluating parental EA and family functioning, respectively. Results showed no difference between AN subtypes, but a greater perception of mother when compared to father EA was found. Moreover, the EA construct was found not to be associated with ED symptomatology but with a greater positive family functioning. Our study is the first that explores EA in AN, and results suggest the importance of considering parents’ emotional engagement as part of the treatment core, together with the eating symptomatology management. Full article
21 pages, 599 KiB  
Article
Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Italian LGBT+ Young Adults’ Mental Health: The Role of Neuroticism and Family Climate
by Marina Miscioscia, Mikael Poli, Alessio Gubello, Alessandra Simonelli, Michela Gatta, Jorge Gato and Paola Rigo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15795; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192315795 - 27 Nov 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2766
Abstract
Vulnerable populations have been among the most affected by the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic; among those, young people and sexual and gender minorities have seen their situation exacerbated by new specific regulations. The aim of the present study was twofold: first, [...] Read more.
Vulnerable populations have been among the most affected by the social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic; among those, young people and sexual and gender minorities have seen their situation exacerbated by new specific regulations. The aim of the present study was twofold: first, to assess the role of family climate, concerning participants’ LGBT+ status during lockdown restrictions, in mediating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal quality of life and mental health (stress, depression, and anxiety); second, to assess how individual stable traits can moderate the relationship between the individual impact of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes. A total of 407 young adults aged 18 to 35 (M age = 25.03 years; SD = 4.68) who self-identified as being part of a sexual or gender minority took part in this study. Results highlight the association between negative family climate and internalizing symptoms of psychological distress, and its role as a partial mediator of the relationship between the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic at the individual level and mental health outcomes. Additionally, low personality trait levels of neuroticism significantly decreased the strength of the relationship between LGBT+ status during blocking restrictions and internalizing symptoms. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 377 KiB  
Article
Spending Time with Mothers as a Resource for Children with Chronic Diseases: A Comparison of Asthma, Type 1 Diabetes, and Cancer during COVID-19 Pandemic
by Silvia Spaggiari, Virginia Forlini, Silvia Carraro, Valentina Agnese Ferraro, Stefania Zanconato, Maria Montanaro, Valerio Cecinati, Silvana Zaffani, Claudio Maffeis and Daniela Di Riso
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14126; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192114126 - 29 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1293
Abstract
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families had to manage new difficulties, especially those of chronically ill children. More and more research has focused on the negative effects of the pandemic on psychological wellbeing, while less is known about the resources. The present [...] Read more.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many families had to manage new difficulties, especially those of chronically ill children. More and more research has focused on the negative effects of the pandemic on psychological wellbeing, while less is known about the resources. The present study aimed to explore the role of time spent with mothers in chronically ill children’s populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it explored the differences in mothers’ and children’s psychosocial functioning in three clinical populations. Four groups were recruited and compared: 7–15 year old children with asthma (45), type 1 diabetes (52), and cancer (33), as well as their healthy counterparts (41), and their respective mothers. They were administered standardized questionnaires and ad hoc surveys assessing psychological wellbeing and worries. Children of the four groups scored significantly differently with respect to the concerns for contagion, internalizing symptoms, and prosocial behaviors; mothers had worries about the consequences of their children’s contagion related to the chronic illness, as well as time with the child. The multiple linear regression model showed an association of being affected by cancer, suffering from type 1 diabetes, and spending less time with the child with an increase in children’s internalizing problems. Time with mothers seemed to be a resource for psychological wellbeing during the pandemic. Clinical implications are discussed. Full article
18 pages, 396 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Daily Realities for Families: A South African Sample
by Kezia Ruth October, Lisa Rene’ Petersen, Babatope Adebiyi, Edna Rich and Nicolette Vanessa Roman
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 221; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19010221 - 25 Dec 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4320
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected families globally. Empirical research has been explored to understand the impact of COVID-19 on families across countries, however, there are limited findings of how COVID-19 has affected the daily realities of families in South Africa. This study used an [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected families globally. Empirical research has been explored to understand the impact of COVID-19 on families across countries, however, there are limited findings of how COVID-19 has affected the daily realities of families in South Africa. This study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to explore the experiences of COVID-19 for South African families. Findings suggest that the negative outcomes of COVID-19 experienced by South African families included a shift in the daily routines, restrictions on family events, lack of socialization and loss of connections, family conflicts, financial constraints as well as psychological impacts. On the contrary, the positive outcomes included increased family time and communication, cleanliness, and good health status, and improved financial management. Implications for future research should include research focused on the health impacts of COVID-19 on diverse family structures, family compositions, and family dynamics. In-depth research and findings can assist in developing policies and interventions for families. Full article
20 pages, 8878 KiB  
Article
Parental Role Changes in Romanian Transnational Families: Consequences of Migration
by Aniela Matei and Elen-Silvana Bobârnat
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 12960; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182412960 - 08 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2247
Abstract
Even if there are consistent studies on the issue of transnational families, research is still needed to address the parental role changes in these families. The aim of this article was to identify the main changes in the parental roles of Romanian transnational [...] Read more.
Even if there are consistent studies on the issue of transnational families, research is still needed to address the parental role changes in these families. The aim of this article was to identify the main changes in the parental roles of Romanian transnational families as a result of the parents’ labor migration. We used interviewing as the research method and directed content analysis to analyze the data. Purposive sampling was conducted in order to identify the interviewees. The results captured important role changes regarding the income provider role of the parent, but especially the role of emotional support provider that the parent should take on for the children. These findings highlight the need to develop specific measures to address the possible negative effects that affect these transnational families. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1041 KiB  
Article
Lessons Learnt during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Qualitative Study of South African Families
by Gift T. Donga, Nicolette V. Roman, Babatope O. Adebiyi, Bernard Omukunyi and Rachel Chinyakata
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12552; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182312552 - 29 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3177
Abstract
In a pandemic, such as COVID-19, with every single person struggling to deal with the unknown, it is often within the family that support is found but it is also within the family that circumstances, contexts and behaviours could further drive the pandemic [...] Read more.
In a pandemic, such as COVID-19, with every single person struggling to deal with the unknown, it is often within the family that support is found but it is also within the family that circumstances, contexts and behaviours could further drive the pandemic and where they struggle to cope. This is novel research in the South African context with no known information regarding family life during and post the pandemic. This study, therefore, explores the lessons learnt during COVID-19 by South African families. A qualitative approach was employed to guide the gathering and analysis of the data. Data were collected from a sample of 31 family members above the age of 18 years from communities of the Western Cape Province and analysed through thematic analysis. According to the participants interviewed some of the significant lessons learnt from the lockdown include hygiene and health consciousness, appreciation for family, valuing life, self-introspection, less dependency, remote working, and financial savings. The realisation of such lessons even post-pandemic has the potential of strengthening families to be a resource of coping and resilience during very difficult times at the same time, contributing to greater physical, social, and economic functioning of families across South Africa. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

8 pages, 957 KiB  
Article
Relations among Socially Prescribed Perfectionism, Career Stress, Mental Health, and Mindfulness in Korean College Students
by Sukkyung You and Jieun Yoo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12248; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182212248 - 22 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2375
Abstract
Korean young adults are exposed to higher career stress than ever before, and such stress exerts a negative impact on mental health outcomes. The present study aimed to understand the mediating effect of career stress on the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and [...] Read more.
Korean young adults are exposed to higher career stress than ever before, and such stress exerts a negative impact on mental health outcomes. The present study aimed to understand the mediating effect of career stress on the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and mental health using a sample of 420 Korean college students. The present study also investigated the moderating role of mindfulness in the mediated pathways across gender groups. This study’s results showed that there are considerable gender differences in this relationship. Career stress significantly mediates the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and depression and life satisfaction only for females. Study findings also indicated that the moderating effect of mindfulness was more remarkable for female students than for male students. Implications and future directions are discussed. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 392 KiB  
Article
The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study on the Emotional-Behavioral Sequelae for Children and Adolescents with Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Their Families
by Alessia Raffagnato, Sara Iannattone, Benedetta Tascini, Martina Venchiarutti, Alessia Broggio, Silvia Zanato, Annalisa Traverso, Cataldo Mascoli, Alexa Manganiello, Marina Miscioscia and Michela Gatta
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(18), 9880; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18189880 - 19 Sep 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3101
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the immediate and short-term impact of the pandemic on the psychological well-being of Italian children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders and their families. Overall, 56 patients aged 6–18 (M = 13.4 years, SD = 2.77) and their parents [...] Read more.
This study aimed to investigate the immediate and short-term impact of the pandemic on the psychological well-being of Italian children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders and their families. Overall, 56 patients aged 6–18 (M = 13.4 years, SD = 2.77) and their parents were evaluated during the COVID-19 lockdown (T0) and after 4 months (T1). An ad hoc data sheet, Youth Self-Report 11–18 (YSR), Child Behavior Checklist 6–18 (CBCL), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were administered. Patients, mainly suffering from internalizing disorders, overall demonstrated a good adaptation to the pandemic context. Moreover, patients with behavioral disorders showed a greater psychological discomfort at both T0 and T1 compared to patients with internalizing disorders. Over time, patients presented an improvement on the emotional side, as proven by a significant decrease in internalizing and post-traumatic stress problems. Finally, no significant differences were found in the emotional-behavioral profile of patients according to the means of conducting neuropsychiatric interventions during the lockdown (i.e., in person/remotely/interrupted), thus allowing us to exclude important negative effects caused by the transition to remote therapy. Concerning parents, an inverse relationship emerged between the DASS-21 scores and the level of resilience, which therefore represents a protective factor against psychological maladjustment. Over time, an improvement in the psychological well-being of parents was observed, as shown by a significant decrease in mothers’ anxiety and fathers’ stress. Full article
13 pages, 1320 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Parenting Attitude Types and Influencing Factors of Korean Parents by Using Latent Transition Analysis
by Hanna Lee and Jeong-Won Han
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7394; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18147394 - 10 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2250
Abstract
This study aimed to classify the latent class of parenting attitude for parents with preschool children and school-age children, identify the pattern of transition in the type of parenting attitude over time, and determine the influencing factors associated with the transition. A total [...] Read more.
This study aimed to classify the latent class of parenting attitude for parents with preschool children and school-age children, identify the pattern of transition in the type of parenting attitude over time, and determine the influencing factors associated with the transition. A total of 1462 households were the subjects of this longitudinal study that used latent profile analysis, latent transition analysis, and logistic regression analysis. The parenting attitude in the preschool year was classified into a model of three latent classes of ‘parent uninvolved’, ‘maternal authoritative and paternal authoritarian’, and ‘maternal authoritarian and paternal authoritative’, and the parenting attitude in the school year was classified into a model of four latent classes of ‘parent weak uninvolved’, ‘parent strong uninvolved’, parent authoritative’, and ‘maternal authoritarian and paternal authoritative.’ All latent class subjects with preschool children showed an attitude transition to maternal authoritarian and paternal authoritative when their children were in school years. It was confirmed that a mother’s depression and father’s parenting stress were the most influential factors in the parenting attitude transition. This study lay in identifying the patterns of parenting attitude and the transition in attitude according to the developmental stage of children. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 434 KiB  
Article
Impact of the COVID-19 Italian Lockdown on the Physiological and Psychological Well-Being of Children with Fragile X Syndrome and Their Families
by Elisa Di Giorgio, Roberta Polli, Marco Lunghi and Alessandra Murgia
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18115752 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2881
Abstract
On 10 March 2020, in Italy, a total lockdown was put in place to limit viral transmission of COVID-19 infection as much as possible. Research on the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted detrimental effects in children and their parents. However, little [...] Read more.
On 10 March 2020, in Italy, a total lockdown was put in place to limit viral transmission of COVID-19 infection as much as possible. Research on the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted detrimental effects in children and their parents. However, little is known about such effects in children with neurodevelopment disorders and their caregivers. The present study investigated how the lockdown has impacted the physiological and psychological well-being of children with Fragile X-Syndrome (FXS), aged from 2 to 16 years, and their mothers. In an online survey, 48 mothers of FXS children reported their perception of self-efficacy as caregivers and, at the same time, their children’s sleep habits, behavioral and emotional difficulties during, and retrospectively, before the lockdown. Results showed a general worsening of sleep quality, and increasing behavioral problems. Although mothers reported a reduction in external support, their perception of self-efficacy as caregivers did not change during the home confinement compared to the period before. Overall, the present study suggested that specific interventions to manage sleep problems, as well as specific therapeutic and social support for increasing children and mother psychological well-being, need to be in place to mitigate the long-term effects of a lockdown. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown in Italian Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: The Role of Separation Anxiety
by Daniela Di Riso, Simone Bertini, Silvia Spaggiari, Francesca Olivieri, Silvana Zaffani, Lara Comerlati, Marco Marigliano, Claudia Piona and Claudio Maffeis
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5549; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18115549 - 22 May 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3074
Abstract
In March 2020, the Italian Government imposed mandatory home confinement to limit the spread of COVID-19. Few studies assessed the psychophysical impact of COVID-19 on chronically ill children. This study examined these effects on children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D) and their [...] Read more.
In March 2020, the Italian Government imposed mandatory home confinement to limit the spread of COVID-19. Few studies assessed the psychophysical impact of COVID-19 on chronically ill children. This study examined these effects on children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D) and their caregivers. Seventy-one patients (7–13 years) with T1D and their caregivers were administered a survey created ad hoc and some standardized questionnaires, assessing psychological well-being and anxiety. Medical data (physical and biochemical characteristics) were recorded before (T0, January–February) and after (T1, May–June) the lockdown. Paired Student t-test, Spearman two-tailed correlations, and a linear regression model were used for statistical analysis. Children at T1 showed higher BMI (body mass index), daily total and basal insulin dose, and time spent in therapeutic range, and they showed lower HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin), time spent above the therapeutic range, and standard deviations of the mean glucose values than at T0. A total of 32.9% scored in the clinical range for separation anxiety. The increase in separation anxiety was predicted by younger age, female gender, more recent T1D diagnosis, less time spent in therapeutic range at T1, and higher perceived fear of COVID-19 infection. In a pandemic context, separation anxiety may be stronger in younger females, with more recent T1D diagnosis and poor metabolic control, thus affecting the parent’s ability to manage diabetes and to support children’s autonomy. Full article
Back to TopTop