Rachel Yum
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Anne Blumenthal
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Joint Program in Social Work & Sociology / Social Work
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 1 – 10am – 10:50am
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Anne Blumenthal, Rachel Yum
Presenter: 12
Abstract
Though it has become increasingly clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has produced elevated levels of stress for parents with children, it has yet to be uncovered to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns have affected mothers in particular. During the lockdowns, many mothers had to parent their children 24/7 in addition to having to do other work such as housework and/or even having to work at home. This research examines how mothers of varying socioeconomic statuses were affected by the pandemic in April/May and May/June of 2020 and compares their experiences of dealing with pandemic-related stress. Qualitative data were collected through online surveys distributed to mothers of children under the age of six living in seven midwestern states (N = 720). Data were then thematically coded by seven independent coders. By analyzing patterns from the collected data, it was discovered that socioeconomic status affected the experiences of parenting stress, with lower-socioeconomic status mothers more likely being stressed due to financial challenges and higher-socioeconomic status mothers being stressed in regards to their children’s education. The findings of this research indicate the larger context and the global pattern that parents have been a safety net during the pandemic.
Social Sciences
