Latent classes of family vulnerability and associations with parental functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examined prepandemic patterns of family vulnerability and their associations with parental outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using longitudinal data from 918 families in Norway, recruited through family counseling services, we applied latent class analysis to 16 indicators spanning contextual (e.g., socioeconomic disadvantage), interpersonal (e.g., low support, interparental conflict), and personal (e.g., mental health problems) domains. Analyses were conducted separately for families where parents lived together and those where parents lived apart. Across both family structures, three distinct vulnerability classes emerged: a well-adapted group (low risk) and two elevated-risk groups differing by domain. Among families living apart, the elevated-risk classes included a low collaboration group and a complex risk group characterized by cumulative vulnerabilities. Among families living together, elevated-risk classes included an interpersonal risk group and a contextual risk group. During the pandemic, families in the complex risk and contextual risk groups reported significantly higher parenting stress and poorer mental health than well-adapted families, whereas low collaboration and interpersonal risk groups were not consistently linked to poorer outcomes. Findings underscore the importance of considering multidimensional vulnerability patterns and family structure when assessing risk and tailoring interventions to support families during large-scale disruptions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).