Family mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic: Changes in parent‐adolescent internalizing symptoms in the United States

Abstract

AbstractThe current paper examined the temporal linkage of internalizing symptoms among parent‐adolescent dyads during the beginning of the COVID‐19 pandemic, and whether COVID‐19‐related concerns were associated with parent‐adolescent linkage of symptoms. Using a 5‐week survey‐based study, parent‐adolescent dyads filled out weekly surveys measuring COVID‐19 concerns and internalizing symptoms. Parent and adolescent depressive symptoms did not change over time; however, adolescents experienced decreases in anxiety. Parent‐adolescent dyads exhibited linkage in depressive symptoms but not anxiety symptoms. However, linkage in anxiety symptoms varied by parent's COVID‐related stress. Study findings provide insight into how COVID‐19 disruptions impacted family well‐being during adolescence.