Effects of perceived resilience on daily functioning and mental well-being among parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic can pose a heavy toll on parents' daily functioning and mental health. While previous studies have identified resilience as a potential protective factor, less is known about the role of resilience in protecting parents from the negative impact caused by the pandemic. Using a two-wave cross-lagged panel design, the present study aimed to examine how the daily functioning of parents was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate the mediating role of functional impairment on the associations of perceived resilience with mental well-being and self-rated health. A total of 129 parents in Hong Kong completed the questionnaire on perceived resilience, functional impairment, mental well-being, and self-rated health twice at a 1-month interval. The results showed that perceived resilience was negatively associated with functional impairment across time. The cross-lagged effect of functional impairment on mental well-being was also found. Furthermore, functional impairment mediated the relationship between perceived resilience and mental well-being. This suggests that parents who reported higher resilience were likely to maintain their mental well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak, as their ability to perform everyday tasks and activities was less disrupted by pandemic-related challenges. The findings highlight the protective role of perceived resilience over time during the pandemic and underscore the importance of resilience-building interventions for parents, especially during challenging times when resources to cope with stress are limited. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).