Child-to-Parent Violence during Confinement Due to COVID-19: Relationship with Other Forms of Family Violence and Psychosocial Stressors in Spanish Youth

Abstract

This study analyzes child-to-parent violence during strict confinement due to COVID-19 as well as its association with other forms of family violence (parent-to-child violence and exposure to violence between parents) and with different psychosocial stressors: Academics/work, family coexistence, finances, COVID-19 and physical and psychological health. The study included 2245 young people (52.8% females) aged between 18 and 25 years (M = 21.52 years, SD = 2.07 years). The results show that more than half of the young people reported having performed at least one violent behavior toward their parents. Child-to-parent violence is significantly related to violence from parents to their young adult children, to exposure to violence between parents and to different psychosocial stressors: Academics/work, family coexistence and psychological health. The individual and additive predictive value of other forms of family violence and psychosocial stressors in child-to-parent violence is confirmed. Prevention and intervention programs for child-to-parent violence must take into account the role of other forms of family violence present as well as the influence of psychosocial stressors.