Mothers' Sources and Strategies for Managing COVID-19 Uncertainties during the Early Pandemic Months

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges and uncertainties for families. Guided by uncertainty management theory, this study qualitatively explored mothers' sources of COVID-related uncertainties for their older children and the strategies used to manage their uncertainties. Twen...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of family communication Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 205 - 222
Main Authors Walker, Kimberly K., Head, Katharine J., Bute, Jennifer, Owens, Heather, Zimet, Gregory D.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Philadelphia Routledge 03.07.2021
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Management theory
Mothers
Pandemics
Social interaction
Threats
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges and uncertainties for families. Guided by uncertainty management theory, this study qualitatively explored mothers' sources of COVID-related uncertainties for their older children and the strategies used to manage their uncertainties. Twenty-five mothers in the U.S. Midwest were interviewed by telephone between March-May 2020 during the early pandemic months. Data indicated four sources of uncertainty: adjustment, threat of COVID-19, COVID-19 information, and social interaction. Protective behaviors used to manage threat of COVID-19 uncertainties (e.g., social distancing and isolation) sometimes unleashed further uncertainties about social interactions with others that mothers were still attempting to manage. The findings suggest theoretical implications of uncertainty management theory as it applies to COVID-19 and practical implications for empowering mothers with tools for support and health literacy skills to understand and act on credible COVID-19 information.
ISSN:1526-7431
1532-7698
DOI:10.1080/15267431.2021.1928135