COVID-19 Stress, Emotional Intelligence, and Child Anxiety and Depression Outcomes

Abstract

Objective. Due to the unprecedented nature of COVID-19, more studies are needed to examine how parents and children are impacted by the pandemic, and more specifically the role of parental Emotional Intelligence in the link between COVID-19 stressors and child mental health outcomes. As a first step to examining this question, this study investigated the relationships between COVID-19 stressors, parental Emotional Intelligence (EI), and child anxiety and depression outcomes. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, 50 parents (mean age = 41.98 years; 88% mothers and 12% fathers) of children between the ages of 8-11 years old (mean age = 9.46 years; 36% girls and 74% boys) participated. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing COVID-19 stress, parental Emotional Intelligence, and child anxiety and depression symptoms. Multiple regressions examined the associations between these variables. Results. No significant results were found between general parental COVID-19 stress and overall child anxiety and depression symptoms. However, general parental COVID-19 stress was marginally significantly related to child anxiety. In particular, the COVID-19 stress of xenophobia was significantly related to child social phobia, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, and obsessions and compulsions. As well, the COVID-19 stress of compulsions was significantly related to child obsessions and compulsions. Furthermore, the COVID-19 stress of socio-economic concerns was significantly associated with child social phobia. As well, the parental Emotional Intelligence domain of utilization of emotions was related to the COVID-19 subscale of traumatic stress. Results point to differential associations between specific domains of COVID-19 stress and child mental health outcomes. Knowledge of these specific associations gives insight into areas to prioritize for mental health clinicians in assessment and intervention.