Exploring the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Parents’ Well-Being: A Comparative Analysis of Pre-, During, and Post-Lockdown

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns heavily impacted the stress levels of families worldwide. We examined parental stress levels regarding a variety of subtopics (including finances, schooling, and seeing extended family) in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. A mixed-method survey approach was used with a volunteer sample of 101 parents from the North Bay community. Included in the survey were 25 potential parental stressors, which parents were asked to rate in terms of their stressfulness, both during the COVID-19 lockdowns and post-pandemic. To accomplish this, participants were administered only one questionnaire, after the height of the pandemic was over, and asked to reflect on both the current time and on the time during the lockdown phase of the pandemic. General stress levels were higher after the lockdowns ended compared to during the lockdowns, indicated by 20 out of the 25 surveyed parental stressors. Four themes were identified in the qualitative data obtained from open-ended questions: ability to parent; requiring additional support; mental and physical well-being; and child-rearing. Specifically, in terms of the first theme, some parents felt that parenting had become more difficult, while others did not. With respect to theme two, many parents felt a need for support in a variety of areas, which relates to theme three, as supports were often desired to improve mental or physical well-being. The fourth theme highlighted the opportunity to spend more time at home with family and raise children according to parents’ own principles. Parents were also asked about changes in their behaviours, like gambling and alcohol use; gambling, in particular, increased during and after the pandemic compared to before. However, parents reported that the difficulty associated with continuing to parent as they did before the lockdowns was minimal, and that it did not change during or after the lockdowns. Finally, parents were asked about changes to their own mental and physical health; results were mixed, but approximately half of participants perceived positive changes in their well-being. Thus, compared to existing research, the current study provides a more comprehensive overview of stressors experienced by families in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. It also brings to light suggestions and recommendations from survey respondents to improve parents’ quality of life in post-COVID-19 North Bay, Ontario.