Pre-pandemic individual and household predictors of caregiver and child COVID-19-related stress in a high-risk sample

Many families experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic and families recently investigated for child maltreatment may have been at particularly high risk. However, little research has focused on pre-pandemic individual and household predictors of COVID-19-related stress among such families who may have been especially vulnerable to the pandemic. The present study prospectively examined pre-pandemic predictors of caregiver and child COVID-19-related stress in a sample of caregivers and children investigated for child maltreatment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included children (N = 285), ages 8–13, and their caregivers (N = 246) investigated for child maltreatment prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple linear regression models were run to separately predict caregiver and child COVID-19-related stress from pre-pandemic household chaos, caregiver and child emotion regulation, caregiver psychological distress, and sociodemographic characteristics. Black caregivers and children reported significantly more COVID-19-related stress than White caregivers and children (b = 2.27, p = 0.006 and b = 1.70, p = 0.013, respectively). Hispanic children reported more COVID-19-related stress than non-Hispanic children (b = 2.12, p < 0.001). Caregivers' pre-pandemic psychological distress also predicted their children's COVID-19-related stress (b = 1.80, p = 0.001). Household dysfunction and child and caregiver emotion regulation were unrelated to subsequent COVID-19-related stress (ps > 0.05). There is a need to support minority families and address mental health concerns to prevent disparate outcomes in the face of stressors.