Associations Among COVID-19 Family Stress, Family Functioning, and Child Health-Related Quality of Life through Lifestyle Behaviors in Children (Children)
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lasting effects on children, necessitating a thorough understanding of its impact for effective recovery planning. This study investigated the associations among COVID-19 family stress, family functioning, children’s lifestyle behaviors (i.e., healthy food intake, unhealthy food intake, physical activity, and screen time), and their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Data from a 2022 survey of parents with children aged 5 to 12 in the United States through the online Prolific platform were analyzed using path analysis and gender-based multi-group analysis. Items from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) Diet Screener also were used to assess a child’s dietary habits.
Findings: The results showed an inverse relationship between family stressors and functioning. COVID-19 family stress was negatively related to child physical HRQOL but not psychosocial HRQOL. Family functioning showed a positive relation with child healthy food intake and a negative relation with unhealthy diet consumption, while no significant associations were found with child physical activity and screen time. Family functioning was indirectly associated with both types of HRQOL through the child’s eating patterns. These relationships were more pronounced for girls. The findings point to a complex interplay between family stress and functioning, dietary habits, and the HRQOL of children during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly concerning girls’ food intake and well-being.
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