The role of parent's mental health in shaping perceptions of adolescent mental health experiences after COVID-19

Objective

The study objective was to examine parental mental health and parenting practices during the pandemic and their association with perceptions of adolescent mental health 2 months later.

Background

Pandemic stress led to greater parental and adolescent mental health issues, including ineffective parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality may protect parental perceptions of adolescent mental health against ineffective parenting, though few have examined this link.

Method

In a sample of West Texas parents and caregivers (N = 194; 46% women) of adolescents (M_age = 14.2; 35% girls), longitudinal structural equation models were used to separately explore parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety due to COVID-19 stress on parental psychopathology and parenting practices, and the protective role of parent–adolescent relationship quality.

Results

Depression and anxiety models showed transmission from parents to parental perceptions of adolescent's mental health occurred through distinct parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality ameliorated the effect of inconsistent discipline on later parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety.

Conclusions

Parental mental health and parenting practices can act as mechanisms between their chronic stress experiences and their perceptions of their adolescent child's mental health.

Implications

Promoting mental health resources and parent–adolescent relationship quality may offset the transmission of negative mental health from parents to their adolescents.