Study highlights the importance of support for caregivers in optimizing child behavior outcomes

Emotional support and tangible aid for caregivers benefited all families through the COVID-19 pandemic, not only those facing higher stress levels, in line with a study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program on the National Institutes of Health.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many families experienced social isolation, economic hardship, and disruptions in each day routines. Communities of color suffered higher infection rates and greater financial hardship and disruption. ECHO researchers desired to find out how these stressors on caregivers affected their children.

Researchers looked individually at a subset of Black participants, who likely experienced unique discrimination through the pandemic. They found caregiver experiences of discrimination strengthened the connection between COVID-19 pandemic stress and child behavior problems, specifically those related to anxiety and depression.

The study found that higher levels of support for caregivers were related to fewer behavior problems overall. Then again, higher amounts of stress from the COVID-19 pandemic were related to more child behavior problems. The findings suggest that support for caregivers positively impacted child behavior across the board, no matter the precise challenges posed by the pandemic.

Our research emphasizes the importance of support for caregivers in optimizing child behavior outcomes and promoting well-being during difficult times similar to a worldwide pandemic.”

Patricia Brennan, PhD, Emory University

The study focused on nearly 2,000 sets of caregivers and kids from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds at 14 ECHO research sites across the U.S. Most caregivers were either living with a partner or married and had a bachelor’s degree or higher education. Caregivers reported on their kid’s behaviors when their children were between 6 and 18 years old. Among the many participating children, 57% were white, 29% were Black, and 9% identified with multiple races.

What happened through the study

From April 2020 to August 2022, caregivers used the ECHO COVID-19 questionnaire to share how the pandemic affected their stress about issues similar to money, access to supplies, social distancing, and work. ECHO developed the questionnaire through the pandemic to capture the experiences of families at ECHO research sites.

The researchers used a well known tool called the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 6-18 to evaluate how children behaved. This tool calculated scores for things similar to outward behaviors like rule-breaking and aggression, and inward behaviors like feeling anxious or withdrawn. Researchers also studied the support caregivers received. Questions on emotional support measured how cared for and valued caregivers felt, while questions on instrumental support checked out whether or not they had help available when needed.

Dr. Brennan and Sara Nozadi, PhD, of the University of Latest Mexico led this collaborative research published within the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.