Class
Article
College
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
Department
English Department
Faculty Mentor
Shawn Whiteman
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract
Restrictions and regulations implemented during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for families that may have influenced family processes and relational qualities. This study investigated: (a) whether maternal differential treatment of children increased from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (b) whether the linkages between maternal differential treatment and sibling intimacy were moderated by household chaos during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included parents and two siblings from 682 families in the Midwestern U.S. Participants completed web-based surveys prior to and during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from a repeated measures ANOVA showed that maternal differential treatment did not change from before to during the pandemic. Results from a series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that maternal differential treatment was negatively related to sibling intimacy for both older and younger siblings. This association, however, was further moderated by the level of household chaos during the pandemic such that the negative association between maternal differential treatment and sibling intimacy was only evident for households characterized by high levels of family chaos.
Location
Logan, UT
Start Date
4-8-2022 12:00 AM
Included in
Changes and Implications of Parents’ Differential Treatment of Adolescent-Aged Offspring From Before to During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Logan, UT
Restrictions and regulations implemented during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for families that may have influenced family processes and relational qualities. This study investigated: (a) whether maternal differential treatment of children increased from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic; and (b) whether the linkages between maternal differential treatment and sibling intimacy were moderated by household chaos during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants included parents and two siblings from 682 families in the Midwestern U.S. Participants completed web-based surveys prior to and during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from a repeated measures ANOVA showed that maternal differential treatment did not change from before to during the pandemic. Results from a series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that maternal differential treatment was negatively related to sibling intimacy for both older and younger siblings. This association, however, was further moderated by the level of household chaos during the pandemic such that the negative association between maternal differential treatment and sibling intimacy was only evident for households characterized by high levels of family chaos.