Parental Concerns About Child Development During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges to families, impacting both parenting and child well-being. This study examines the trajectories of parental concerns about child development during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the impact of pandemic-related stressors, including child social isolation, family economic hardship, and caregiver distress. Seventy-two caregivers (84.7% mothers) of children aged 11–36 months participated. Data were collected during lockdown (T1, 2021), 1 year later (T2, 2022), and 2 years later (T3, 2023). Stressors were assessed at T1, and parental concerns were measured at all time points through open-ended responses. At T1 and T2, concerns focused on child socialization, shifting to separation anxiety at T3. Parents of socially isolated children reported elevated concerns at both T1 and T2, which were also associated with trajectories of persistent worries. Additionally, parents of younger children exhibited more persistent concerns in the postpandemic period. The findings highlight the potential enduring impact of the pandemic on parental concerns. Family-centered interventions and enhanced access to developmental resources are crucial for supporting caregivers in managing the long-term impacts of the pandemic.