Exploration of Psychological Stressors Faced by Parents Living with their Children During COVID-19 Lockdown in Langata Constituency, Nairobi County, Kenya

Exploration of Psychological Stressors Faced by Parents Living with their Children During COVID-19 Lockdown in Langata Constituency, Nairobi County, Kenya

Mariam N. Miring’u and Wambua Pius Muasa Ph.D

Institute of Youth Studies, School of Arts and Social Sciences, Tangaza University College, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70910

Received: 24 August 2023; Revised: 05 September 2023; Accepted: 11 September 2023; Published: 26 September 2023

ABSTRACT

On March 10, 2020, the world went into lockdown due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This brought the need for parents to take up new roles while at the same time finding ways of sustaining their families. The lockdown negatively affected the psychological well-being of both the parents and their children. The study aimed to explore parents’ experiences of living with their children during Covid-19 lockdown. The study employed phenomenological design. Through purposive sampling the study utilized a sample size of 15 participants which constituted parents who lived with their children during the lockdown period. Data was collected through the use of the Interview Guide. The data collected was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results showed the psychological stressors to parents living with children during the lockdown were stress, worry, isolation, loneliness, and frustration.  The study recommends to the government and other stakeholders to sensitize people on the importance investing and saving extra income in case of unseen disasters. Also, the counselors and psychologists to come with better alternatives of offering counseling services in the events they cannot meet their clients face to face.

Key Words: Psychological stressors, Parents living with children, Covid-19 Lockdown, Langata Constituency

INTRODUCTION

When lockdown measures were implemented in Italy due to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 10, 2020, the World Health Organization emphasized the detrimental psychological impacts of the lockdown restrictions, particularly for parents and children (WHO, 2020). Investigating parent-child interactions during the drawn-out COVID-19 lockdown was the primary goal of this study. According to Orgiles et al. (2020) study carried out in Italy and Spain, Covid-19 was most certainly linked to psychological suffering, including mental illness. Additional stress-related conditions aggravated those with pre-existing stress-related conditions such as social isolation, anxiety, contagious suffering, chronic stress, and financial challenges. Suicidal ideation also increased due to low resilience in people, especially those with pre-existing psychiatric illnesses.

In addition, Orgilés et al. (2020), in their study on the psychological impacts of the lockdown caused by COVID-19 in both Europe and the United States of America, expressed the opinion that while the direct effects of a lockdown were typically evaluated in terms of a declining GDP, the indirect effects, such as social isolation, restricted freedom, and job loss, were no less significant. Using Google Trends searches for loneliness, boredom, and unhappiness, they observed a decline in people’s mental health during such trying moments (Orgilés et al., 2020).

According to a recent evaluation by Wang et al. (2020), the areas most affected were those with a high infection incidence and those who lost family or friends to Covid-19. However, people worldwide had various psychological disorders and symptoms related to the pandemic. During the current health crisis, those with emotional, behavioural, and psychiatric problems were more common than those with COVID-19. According to the scant research conducted to date on the effects of Covid-19 on the health of both parents and children in China and Italy, Covid-19-related risks, such as (a) living in a high-risk environment, (b) being Covid-19 positive as a parent, (c) being bereaved by family members and friends positive to the virus, and (d) being exposed to the virus as a child, have severe psychological repercussions (Spinelli et al., 2020).

It was essential for both parent’s and children’s psychological well-being that containment measures be perceived positively. Stress experienced by parents as individuals and as a couple mediated the adverse effects of confinement on children’s behaviour and emotional stability. Most families reported feeling anxious and stressed due to incarceration, which exacerbated their children’s issues. According to the study by Spinelli et al. (2020) parents who were forced to balance their personal life, employment, and raising their children while being left alone with no choice, found quarantine to be a particularly stressful experience. This condition made it more likely that parents would experience stress, limiting their ability to give their children the emotional support they needed. Parental stress brought on by medical emergencies, pandemics, and lockdowns exacerbated the psychological, emotional, and behavioural problems that children experienced (Spinelli et al., 2020).

A study Wang et al. (2020) argued that a better understanding of how families function and actions that could improve children’s psychological well-being throughout the pandemic was required. According to Brooks et al. (2020), adults’ psychological health suffered due to the stress of quarantine. Before the lockdown, families had to complete various tasks, including helping children with homework, caring for themselves, looking after their spouses and children, and participating in extracurricular activities. As a result, these families experienced significant psychological distress. Bereavement, isolation, loss of income, and fear were found to have caused or aggravated mental health conditions in adults. Stress, insomnia, and drug use were all experienced in many households. In addition, violence against women, homicide, suicide, and abuse cases appeared to rise. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms and familial circumstances that improve children’s psychological well-being was needed (Wang et al., 2020; Brooks et al., 2020).

Brooks et al. (2020), went further to report that stress in children was frequently associated with maladaptive behaviours. As a result, children in these homes may have been rejected by their parents, which led to aggressive behaviour (Brooks et al., 2020). Furthermore, a United Kingdom survey on the effect of the pandemic on psychological and social impact appeared to be more prevalent than fears about contracting COVID-19 (Mental Health Covid-19, 2020). Along with anxiety and sadness, fear is one of the psychological disorders that have seriously impacted people’s lives during epidemics (Huang & Zhao, 2020). According to Santini et al. (2020), fear was closely associated with anxiety and social isolation, especially during pandemics. On the other hand, frequent changes, macroeconomic variables, or a concern about getting sick can result in more unfavourable interactions. For instance harsh parenting which could lead to child’s emotional and behavioural issues such as yelling at small children (Pinderhughes et al., 2000). Several studies (Brown et al., 2020; Griffith, 2020; Roos et al., 2021) have raised concerns about the psychosocial alterations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and their potential short, mid, and long-term harmful effects on children and families. In addition, parents in lower-income families were more likely to be harsh with their children than parents in higher-income families, even without a pandemic.

According to The American Counselling Organization (2018), Covid-19 made parents experience agonizing emotional and psychological pain, which harmed their daily life and worsened family strife. Parents and other caregivers risk experiencing worry, mainly when enrolling children in kindergarten or other institutions that are far from the comfort of their homes. Parents experienced burnout due to simultaneous tasks and pressures that called for attention, such as return to work for parents and unpleasant events such as a loss of family members or close friends who may have passed away due to Covid-19 (Griffith, 2020).The lockdown negatively impacted many parents since they lost their daily income. As a result, they could not meet their children’s basic needs, which exacerbated their psychological issues such as depression, loneliness, suicidal thoughts, domestic violence, child abuse, and homicide instances were among the unfavourable effects of Covid-19. Following the COVID-19 lockdown, parents and children had psychological dysfunction due to pessimism and irrational ideas. The study also showed that the COVID-19 lockdown was a significant influence when one was under psychological distress and that this had detrimental repercussions on their behaviour (Pettoello-Mantovani, et al., 2020).

Analysis of the psychological effects of the quarantine revealed the significance for the people to feel like a vital part of society, a factor sometimes overlooked in psychological well-being. Although social isolation was the most effective way to stop the virus from spreading, as stated by Provenzi and Tronick, (2020), the length of the pandemic was impossible to predict. The metrics significantly impacted relationships, interactions, and particularly the empathetic process in society. Empathy was initially described as a way of identifying with the psychological and physiological states of others (Provenzi & Tronick, 2020).  The government did not consider the adverse psychological effects of the lockdown on both parents and children, which has the most significant interest in ensuring the welfare of its citizens. Moreover, the sub-standard living infrastructure worsened these adverse effects.

According to the literature, the prolonged Covid-19 lockdown was characterized by extreme poverty, low income, a lack of financial means, and disadvantaged demographic groupings more likely to suffer from mental diseases. Grief, job loss, tiredness, the loss of family or friends, hopelessness, and an existing physical or medical illness were some indicators of poor mental health (Li & Wang, 2020). Research findings regarding the psychological effects of the Covid-19 lockdown on parents raising their children at home do not appear to exist. Though studies from global and regional perspective reported the psychological stressors parents went through with their children during Covid 19 lockdown, there was lack of similar studies in Nairobi and therefore, the current objective of the study was to explore the psychological stressors faced by parents living with their children during COVID-19 lockdown in Langata Constituency, Nairobi County, Kenya.

METHODOLOGY

The research design provides the framework for the study. The plan focuses on the research subject rather than the why of the research subject (Babbie, 1990). The study employed a phenomenological research design because it aimed at exploring the lived experiences of parents living with their children in Mugumo-ini Ward during the Covid-19 lockdown. The study was conducted in Mugumo-ini Ward which is part of the Kibera slums in Nairobi and part of Langata Constituency. Mugumo-ini Ward hosts a middle-class population living with their children. Target population was the parents, caregivers, adoptive parents, or single parents living with their children. Through purposive sampling, the study utilized the sample size of 15 participants. The study employed Interview Guide to collect data among the participants. The Interview Guide had two sections. The first section captured the demographic details of the participants including the age, gender, level of education, religion, marital status, career, and income. The second section collected data on psychological stressors faced by parents living with children during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Before data collection was carried out, permission to collect and record the interviews was sought from each participant. The participants were issued with a consent form to fill before conducting the interviews. The interviews took 45 minutes to 1 hour and the interviews were recorded. At the end of the interviews the participants were thanked for accepting to participate in the study. Thematic analysis was utilized in analysing the data that was collected from the participants. Thematic analysis is a method of identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within the data” (Braun & Clarke, 2006, p.79). The thematic deductive approach was used in this study to analyze and interpret the data that produced the final findings of this study. The raw data was coded in themes after identifying the pattern from the data.

RESULTS

The study was set out to explore experiences of parents living with their children during the Covid-19 Lockdown in Mugumo-ini Ward, Nairobi. The research questions was: What were the psychological stressors of the parents living with their children during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mugumo-ini Ward?. Using thematic analysis, the themes from the data collected was identified and supported by verbatim from the participants. Before presenting the findings as per the research questions, the study presented the demographic details of the participants.

Demographic details of the participants

The study presented the demographic of the participants. The demographic details for the participants who were interviewed captured their age, gender, educational level, occupation and religion.

 Demographic Information for Students

The study presented the demographic details of the parent participants that were interviewed. The results are presented in table 1.

Table 1 Demographic Details for Parent Participants

Table 1 showed that participants were between ages of 30 years to 65 years. Majority of the participants were females compared to their male counterparts. Most of the participants were married and single and only few were windows. All the participants were Christians. Majority of them were graduate while it is only one who had attained primarily education. Most of the participants had two to three children. All the participants had dynamic careers.

Presentation of the Key Findings

Psychological stressors faced by parents living with their children during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mugumo-ini Ward

From the data six themes emerged Psychological stressors parents living with their children during the COVID-19 lockdown in Mugumo-ini Ward.

 Stress/ Distress

Some of the participants experienced stress and distress during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Most of the distress was experienced because the participants had no freedom of movement which made them get stuck with nowhere to go. Also, the children experienced distress because they were not able to move outside and play with other children as before. More stress was experienced by parents who had to multitask by taking care of their children at home and also working through online in their places of work. The theme of distress was expressed by a participant, who said,

Distress because of the lack movement, and nowhere to work. I wasn’t doing so well, to be honest.  I had been feeling really down, with the COVID-19 pandemic, I had been stuck at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do. It had really been getting to me. With everything shut down, there just didn’t seem to be any opportunities. However, I appreciated the support we received from friends and family, but I’m not sure there was much anyone could do to change the situation. I just hoped things would get better soon (Participant 1).

The same participant expressed the same sentiment of distress with children when said, “The children were stressed because of being locked inside and not being able to go out and play with their friends. They could also see us distressed as their parents. They had been feeling really distressed because my wife and I were under a lot of stress. And I think our children were picking up on that” (Participant 1).

The increase of workload increased stress to parents who were to continue working online with their organizations and at the same time to take care of their children at home as a result of Covid 19 lockdown. This is echoed by participant, who said,

I was feeling really burnt out lately. I worked long hours, and with the pandemic, everything was so uncertain and stressful. Sure. I work as a lecturer so my workload increased a lot during the pandemic. I was working so much that I didn’t have any free time to relax or do things I enjoy. I don’t know how I managed to juggle everything during the pandemic. I was working from home, taking care of my children and managing the household all at the same time. It was difficult. I was emotionally stressed and had an increased workload, but I tried to take breaks when I could. I also made sure to communicate with my boss about my limits and concerns (Participant 7).

Anxiety

Most of the participants experienced anxiety during the covid-19 lockdown. The anxiety was a result of death of loved one and inability to give them a decent burial. The children were also scared of the virus and wondering what was to happen next. In addition, the anxiety was caused by the fear of contracting the virus. The theme of anxiety is echoed by participant who said “I tried to keep myself busy with work, but the anxiety was always there at the back of my mind” (Participant 5). The anxiety of losing a loved one through Covid 19 was expressed by participant who said “It’s been almost three years since we lost our friend to COVID-19. It was so hard not being able to give her a proper burial or say goodbye in person. It’s just so sad to think about all the lives lost during the pandemic. I felt like I was constantly anxious and on edge” (Participant 9). The same participants reported how the children were scared about the Covid-19 disease when said,

It was a tough time, especially for my kids. They were really scared and had so many questions about the virus and what would happen to them. We tried to have open conversations and answer their questions as honestly as possible. But it was hard when there were so many unknowns. Yes, they were really upset about not being able to see their friends and do their normal activities. It was hard for them to adjust to online learning (Participant 9).

Moreover, the anxiety of contracting a disease was echoed by participant, who said,

I was afraid and anxious about my family getting sick. I did everything I could to protect us. We were constantly sanitizing, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded places. I barely left the house, and when I did, I was always on edge. It was a very stressful time for me. I remember constantly checking the news and the numbers, worrying about the rising cases. Thankfully, we were all able to stay healthy and safe, but it was definitely a scary time (Participant 13).

Isolation

Some of the participants experienced isolation which was difficult for them not socializing with others. It was difficult not to socialize with family members and friends as people were used. The theme was reported by participant who said “Emotionally affected because of isolation and not meting up with people. I was feeling really low lately. I think the isolation was really getting to me” (Participant 1). The same theme is supported by another participant who said,

Well, it was difficult for me, I’m 65 years old and I’m used to socializing with my friends and family quite often. But during the pandemic, I couldn’t see them, and that was really hard. I did feel emotionally detached at times. Being isolated and not seeing people face-to-face made me feel a bit disconnected from the world  (Participant 3).

Worry

Most of the participants experienced worry for several reasons. One of the reasons was the worry about the health of their children who were working in the medical field. There was a worry that they could contradict the disease and die. The worries were also about the children not getting time to go out and play other children. The theme is echoed by participant, who worried about his children working in medical filed contracting the disease when said,

Well, I live alone and I often feel like I don’t have enough time to myself. The lockdown forced me to slow down and really focus on self-care and reflection. Of course, I was worried about the health risks and the impact it was having on society as a whole. But for me personally, the lockdown was a time of peace and reflection. It was a very worrying time for me. My children are all healthcare workers, and they had to be at work every day during the pandemic. I was worried sick about their safety. I was mostly worried about my children who are in the medical field, but I was glad they were able to work and help people during the pandemic. They were mostly worried about my safety, so they often called to check up on me and ensure I was keeping safe (Participant 4).

Moreover, the theme is expressed by a participant who said, “I was constantly worried about the effects of the lockdown on my children, who were stuck at home with us. I felt like they were missing out on so much” (Participant 5). The same theme of worry is echoed by participant who said “I was constantly scared of getting COVID-19 and dying. It was like I was always on edge and worried about everything, I talked to my family and friends about it. They were all really supportive and understanding, which helped me feel less alone” (Participant 6). Furthermore, the theme was reported by another participant who said ‘I especially worried about my children. They were sad that they couldn’t go out to play with their friends like they used to, and I could see the worry on their faces when we talked about going back to school. It was tough to see them struggling” (Participant 8). Likewise, the theme was expressed by participant who said “I constantly worried about bringing the virus home to my family. And to make matters worse, there were a lot of stigmas surrounding essential workers, with people treating us like walking contagions. It was a very stressful time” (Participant 14).

The theme on worry was echoed by participant who worried about lacking freedom to go out and the her health and of the loved ones when said,

I can’t believe how stressful this pandemic was. There were so many things that I wanted to do, but everything was closed, and it was hard to feel like I had any control over my life. I tried to stay busy with hobbies and projects, but it just wasn’t the same. I missed being able to go out and socialize with my friends and family. I even found myself worrying more about my health and the health of my loved ones. I was feeling really worried with everything going on in the world (Participant 15).

Loneliness

Most of the participants experienced loneliness as a result of lockdown. Most of the participants experienced loneliness because they were not able to connect with their friends and family members. The theme is reported by a participant who said “I just felt really down and alone. I missed being able to see my friends and family, and I was getting sick of being stuck at home all the time. I tried to stay in touch over video calls and social media. But it just wasn’t the same as being able to see people in person” (Participant 1). The theme was also echoed by another participant who said “Dealing with the social isolation was tough, I missed seeing my friends and family so much, and it really took a toll on my mental health. I found myself feeling lonely and disconnected, and I didn’t know how to cope with it at first (Participant 14). Another participant felt the lonely for not been able to meet his colleagues face to face when said “I found it really tough working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It felt so lonely not being able to see my colleagues in person” (Participant 6). Similarly, the same theme was expressed by participant, who said,

I really struggled during the lockdown period. I felt so lonely. It was really tough not being able to see my friends and family like I usually would. I really missed the social interaction and the sense of connection with others. I did try a few, but it just wasn’t the same as in-person interaction. I was overcome with strong emotions and a fear of the future (Participant 10).

Frustration

Most of the participants were frustrated as a result of lack of work which made them to experience difficult in providing for their families. Children also experienced frustration because they were not able to interact with other children outside. It was also frustrating for not been able to interact with other faithful in the Church. A Participant expressed frustration as result of not able to interact with the faithful when said, “I can’t believe how everything went online due to the pandemic. It was a frustrating experience for me as a pastor. Yes, it was difficult. I missed the in-person interaction with my congregation and the sense of community we shared” (Participant 8). The same frustration was echoed by another participant who said “My children were constantly cooped up in the house and couldn’t go out to play with their friends. It really affected them psychologically, and they were frustrated most of the time” (Participant 5).

Moreover, frustration was echoed by participant who could not get work and it was difficult to provide for the children when said,

Frustration because of the lack of work was a hindrance to providing for the children. I was cut off from work, and I couldn’t provide for my children. That caused a lot of emotional frustration and stress. It was really hard, but I tried to stay positive and focused on finding new ways to support my family. I also talked to my spouse and friends for emotional support (Participant 2).

The similar theme of frustration was echoed by another participant who said,

We were all stuck at home with nowhere to go and nothing to do. The kids especially had a hard time being indoors up all the time. They got pretty agitated, especially as time went on. It was hard for them to be stuck at home all the time and not be able to see their friends or do any activities. They would get frustrated easily and sometimes even fight with each other (Participant 3).

DISCUSSION

The study was set out to explore experiences of parents living with their children during the Covid-19 Lockdown in Mugumo-ini Ward, Nairobi. Some of the participants experienced stress and distress during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Most of the distress was experienced because the participants had no freedom of movement which made them get stuck with nowhere to go. Also, the children experienced distress because they were not able to move outside and play with other children as before. More stress was experienced by parents who had to multitask by taking care of their children at home and also working through online in their places of work. The findings were consistent with findings of Orgilés et al. (2020) who conducted a study Italy and Spain with youths who were in quarantine as a result of covid-19 and found that they had experienced stress. Social isolation, anxiety, contagious suffering, chronic stress, and financial challenges also worsened the situation. Suicidal ideation also increased due to low resilience in people, especially those with pre-existing psychiatric illnesses. Likewise, the findings are supported by findings of Spinelli et al. (2020) who found that Parental stress brought on by medical emergencies, pandemics, and lockdowns exacerbated the psychological, emotional, and behavioural problems that children had experienced According to Brooks et al. (2020), adults’ psychological health suffered due to the stress of quarantine.

Most of the participants experienced anxiety during the covid-19 lockdown. The anxiety was a result of death of loved one and inability to give them a decent burial. The children were also scared of the virus and wondering what was to happen next. In addition, the anxiety was caused by the fear of contracting the virus. The findings were in agreement with findings of Spinelli et al. (2020) who reported that most families experienced feelings of anxious and stressed due to incarceration, which exacerbated their children’s issues. Parents who were forced to balance their personal life, employment, and raising their children while being left alone with no choice, found quarantine to be a particularly stressful experience. This condition made it more likely that parents would experience stress, limiting their ability to give their children the emotional support they needed. Moreover, the findings were supported by Santini et al. (2020), who reported people to have experienced anxiety as a result of Covid-19.

Some of the participants experienced isolation which was difficult for them not socializing with others. It was difficult not to socialize with family members and friends as people were used. The findings were in line with the findings of Orgilés et al. (2020), in their study on the psychological impacts of the lockdown caused by COVID-19 in both Europe and the United States of America, expressed the opinion that while the direct effects of a lockdown were typically evaluated in terms of a declining GDP, the indirect effects, such as social isolation, restricted freedom, and job loss, were no less significant. Using Google Trends searches for loneliness, boredom, and unhappiness, they observed a decline in people’s mental health during such trying moments.

CONCLUSION

Parents experienced psychological stressors during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown which made them not to have freedom of movement and got stuck with nowhere to go. Also, the children experienced distress because they were not able to move outside and play with other children as before. More stress was experienced by parents who had to multitask by taking care of their children at home and also working through online in their places of work. They also experienced anxiety as a result of death of loved ones and inability to give them a decent burial. The children were also scared of the virus and wondering what was to happen next. In addition, the anxiety was caused by the fear of contracting the virus. In addition, they experienced isolation which was difficult for them not socializing with others. It was difficult not to socialize with family members and friends as people were used. Moreover, they experienced worry for several reasons. One of the reasons was the worry about the health of their children who were working in the medical field. There was a worry that they could contradict the disease and die. The worries were also about the children not getting time to go out and play other children. Finally, they experienced frustration because they were not able to interact with other children outside. It was also frustrating for not been able to interact with other faithful in the Church.

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