Perceived Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown on the Family Context of Foster and Non-Foster Families

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 421 - 432
• Main Authors: González-Pasarín, Lucía, Urbano-Contreras, Antonio, Bernedo, Isabel M., Oliver, Jesús
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal training; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Children; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Educational needs; Employment; Families & family life; Foster care; Guide dogs; Mobility; Original Paper; Pandemics; Perceptions; Psychology; Shelter in place; Social Sciences; Sociology; Special needs children; Unemployment; Variables; Spain; Cohesion; Foster families; Stress; Adaptability; Family context
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-021-02185-x

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown have had a far-reaching impact across all levels of society. In Spain, severe restrictions were placed on people’s mobility, and leaving the home was only possible under special circumstances. This study analyzes the impact of lockdown on the family context of foster and non-foster families, focusing particularly on their levels of cohesion, adaptability, and perceived stress. It also examines a series of variables that may have influenced foster families’ perceptions of their family context during lockdown. Data were gathered through an online survey that was completed by 347 individuals corresponding to 100 foster families and 247 non-foster families from different regions of Spain. Analyses were descriptive and exploratory in nature. The results appear to suggest that lockdown has had a greater impact on the family context of non-foster families. With respect to foster families’ experiences of lockdown, variables such as loss of employment and having a child with special educational needs would seem to be important. For both types of families, lockdown has provided an opportunity to improve certain aspects of their family context. Given that further lockdowns of some degree may be necessary in the future, it is important to ensure that families have access to the psychoeducational resources they need to maintain, as far as possible, a positive family context. Highlights We examined the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on foster and non-foster families. Family context was perceived to be better under lockdown than previously. Lockdown had a greater impact on the family context of non-foster families. Foster family perceptions were influenced by unemployment. Having a child with special educational needs was also a factor in foster families.