Economic stress, parenting, and adolescents' adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective This investigation examined pathways through which financial stress impacts parents' and adolescents' well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Background Pandemic-related stress (e.g., financial stress) experienced by parents may indirectly affect adolescents' well-being, although the pathways involved are currently unknown. Method Families currently living in the United States and having adolescents between 12 and 18 years old participated in this investigation (N = 272). Parents responded to questionnaires online about their financial situation, personal well-being, relationship with their oldest typically developing adolescent (12-18 years old; M-age = 14.74; SDage = 1.80; 46.4% young women), and their adolescents' well-being. Results Higher levels of financial stress were related to higher levels of parental psychological distress, higher levels of parenting stress, and higher levels of adolescent loneliness. Higher stay-at-home intensity was related to higher levels of parenting stress, higher levels of parent-adolescent conflict, and poorer adolescent adjustment. Several significant indirect paths were identified between financial stress and adolescents' adjustment. The relationship between financial stress and adolescents' well-being (i.e., internalizing behaviors and loneliness) was mediated by parental psychological distress and parenting stress. When parenting stress was a mediator, the effect was more pronounced the more time families spent at home. Conclusion Parents who were worried about their financial situation had greater difficulty with psychological distress and parenting stress, especially when parents were spending more time at home. Implications Understanding the way in which financial stress influences parents' and adolescents' adjustment during the pandemic will inform and prepare practitioners and policymakers for similar situations in the future.