Identifying Parenting Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey-Based Study

The objective of this study is to investigate the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perceived stress and mental health of parents. Specifically, this study aims to provide preliminary evidence on specific changes in children’s behaviors caused by the lockdown and the impact of these behaviors on the mental well-being of the parents. A survey was designed to achieve this, and N = 713 respondents completed it. The survey consisted of demographic questions, validated questionnaires—Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and Positive Childhood Experiences (PCES), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), and a few other questions on parental stress. The quantitative and qualitative findings revealed several variables that significantly influenced the perceived stress and affected the mental health of parents with children born during the pandemic. The findings underscore the vital need for implementing coping strategies to mitigate the effects of these adverse stressors.