The traditional thinking during the pandemic is that the presence of children at home has been a stressful one, with working parents often having to juggle remote working with homeschooling, with this juggling act often taking place in a home environment ill-suited to both endeavors.  Numerous studies have shown that this burden has been particularly pronounced on working mothers, who have often shouldered more than their fair share of it.

Research from the University of Michigan presents another angle on the matter, and suggests that the presence of children at home during the pandemic may actually have helped the mental health of adults in the household.  The study shows that adults with children at home experienced fewer mental health issues than adults living without children.

“In other words, parents/caregivers may be struggling, but not more so than everyone else,” the researchers explain.

Sense of purpose

The researchers suggest this may in part be because caring for children both provides social connectivity but also a clear sense of purpose, with these helping to bolster the mental wellbeing of parents.

The findings emerged after quizzing nearly 600,000 adults on their mental health during the summer of 2020.  During this 12-week period, around 35% of respondents said they suffered from anxiety, with 24% reporting feeling depressed.  Both figures were considerably higher than pre-pandemic levels, with women typically feeling more anxious than men.