Grandparent Caregivers Lived Experiences and Resource Needs/Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This project examined the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on grandparent caregivers, grandchildren, family dynamics, and resources to mitigate and navigate crises. Phone interviews were conducted with 24 grandparent caregivers using a semi-structured interview guide. Caregivers explained that the pandemic had impacted them and their grandchildren by increasing emotional distress, social isolation, financial difficulties, and challenges with education. Helpful resources consisted of financial support, respite care, and support for grandchildren. Thus, there is a need to provide grandparent caregivers with the same resources that foster care providers receive - particularly when faced with challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The history of families at-risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: what are the impacts of genetic counseling and testing?

Introduction: Cancer Genetic Counseling (CGC) and genetic testing (GT) assume a paramount role for hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome families. We assessed the effects of CGC and GT on women affected by cancer who are at risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition syndrome (HBOC). Methods: This study encompasses four time points: before the CGC session, after the CGC session when blood is drawn for GT, after disclosure of GT results, and six months following disclosure of GT results. The impacts of CGC and GT were assessed using psychosocial questionnaires. Additionally, a pedigree, genogram, and ecomap were constructed through a semistructured interview. Results: A total of sixty women were included in the study. Most participants considered their perception of cancer risk to be equivalent to that of the general population, even among those with pathogenic variants. An increased perception of breast and ovarian cancer risks was associated with a heightened inclination toward religious engagement as a coping mechanism. Patients carrying variants of uncertain significance expressed greater concerns about developing another cancer compared to those who had BRCA1 and BRCA2 wild type or pathogenic variants. Qualitative analysis of the genograms and ecomaps demonstrated that the CGC/GT processes facilitate communication within families. The genogram analyses revealed the impact of CGC and GT processes on families at risk for hereditary cancer. Changes in some family relationships were observed, and an improvement in communication was noted following the GT process. Discussion: These findings can assist healthcare professionals considering a personalized approaches in clinical practice.

Older Adults' and Family Caregivers' Technological Arrangements on Risk of Institutionalization.

Internet-enabled resources could facilitate older adults' ability to live in the community longer, but studies have often overlooked how family caregivers utilize the internet to assist older care recipients. We examined whether different family-level arrangements of internet use may affect the risk of institutionalization among older adults. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2015-2020) and National Study on Caregiving (2015), we estimated multinominal logistic regression and inverse-probability weighted Cox proportional hazard models to investigate the determinants of technological arrangements in 2015 (i.e., no internet use, only caregiver use, only care recipient use, both caregiver and care recipient internet use) and how they may affect the risk of moving to an assisted living or nursing facility between 2015 and 2020. The most prevalent technological arrangement in 2015 was the one where neither the care recipient nor their caregiver reported using the internet. Relatively disadvantaged older care recipients (e.g., people of color, fewer years of education, less income, worse cognitive functioning) and caregivers (e.g., older, fewer years of education) were more likely to be in a non-internet use arrangement. Compared to older adults in other categories, older adults who were internet users and had a family caregiver who also used the internet in their caregiving tasks had a much lower risk of relocation during the study period. Findings suggest that digital interventions aimed at serving the older adult population should assess the gap in access and utilization at a family level and consider the role of older adults' social partners.

Birth-order effects on risk taking are limited to the family environment.

Why is the empirical evidence for birth-order effects on human psychology so inconsistent? In contrast to the influential view that competitive dynamics among siblings permanently shape a person's personality, we find evidence that these effects are limited to the family environment. We tested this context-specific learning hypothesis in the domain of risk taking, using two large survey datasets from Germany (SOEP, n = 19,994) and the United States (NLSCYA, n = 29,627) to examine birth-order effects on risk-taking propensity across a wide age range. Specification-curve analyses of a sample of 49,621 observations showed that birth-order effects are prevalent in children aged 10-13 years, but that they decline with age and disappear by middle adulthood. The methodological approach shows the effect is robust. We thus replicate and extend previous work in which we showed no birth-order effects on adult risk taking. We conclude that family dynamics cause birth-order effects on risk taking but that these effects fade as siblings transition out of the home.

Analysis of the Functioning of Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Psychometric Study of the Family APGAR Scale.

Normalised family functioning is a predictor of individual well-being. The diagnosis of a family member with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can alter the ordinary dynamics of family systems, having a variable impact on family functioning. This research employed a non-probability convenience sampling method to gather a sample of 327 families with and without children diagnosed with ASD. This study has dual objectives: to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Family APGAR Scale and to compare family functioning in families with and without a child with ASD. The results reveal several favourable psychometric properties in the application of the APGAR scale within families of children with ASD. The use of the Family APGAR Scale in the selected sample confirms that the functioning of families with children with ASD can be categorized as mildly dysfunctional, attributed to the inherent challenges in caring for and raising a child with ASD. The presence of ASD within family systems presents a challenge to typical family functioning, with significant differences observed between families with and without children with ASD. This underscores the necessity of implementing effective intervention programs based on empirical evidence to improve the quality of life for individuals with ASD and their families.

The family dynamics of children on the streets of Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND:  Children roaming the streets estimated at 1 in 10 by a 2021 United Nation Children's Funds (UNICEF) report is a growing problem, in cities of lower- and middle-income African countries. Studies of street children with no family ties abound, but there is a paucity of studies on children on the street who exist within families and return home daily. We explored the family dynamics of children on the streets of Ibadan, emphasising family structure, resources and relationships. METHODS:  Using an exploratory design based on a qualitative approach 53 participants were interviewed, including children on the streets, parental figures, child-welfare officers and street shop owners. Participants were selected from streets in the five urban local government areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. Recorded data were transcribed, and framework analysis was performed. RESULTS:  The family dynamics included family structural problems, poor family resources and poor parent-child relationships. The family structural problems included: broken homes, large families and ambivalence around polygamy as subthemes. Family resources comprised: poor economic resources, poor social resources, educational challenges, cultural ambivalence and spiritual backdrops. The family relationships patterns included: poor adaptability, economic-oriented partnership, poor growth support, poor emotional connection and poor family bonding. CONCLUSION:  The dynamics driving a family's choice for child streetism in Ibadan, mostly to hawk, are devaluation of family life, parenting irresponsibility, and poor filial relationship, underscored by economic constraints and socio-cultural decadence. The results of this research buttress the need for family-level interventions to forestall the escalating phenomenon of child streetism in Ibadan, Nigeria.Contribution: This research highlights the family dynamics of children on the streets, and buttresses family-level interventions are necessary to forestall escalating child-streetism in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Keeping kin close? Geographies of family networks by race and income, 1981-2017.

Objective: This study examined changes in geographic proximity to family members among race and income groups in the United States from 1981 to 2017. Background: Close geographic proximity to family members can facilitate mutual support and strengthen family bonds. Some scholars argue that institutional sources of support have replaced many core family functions, which might mean that households are likely to live increasingly farther away from family. Advancing technology and changing labor market opportunities might reinforce this pattern. Yet, the ongoing cultural and emotional salience of family might curtail the effects of these factors on the increasing distance to family. Method: We conducted a quantitative analysis of longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). We utilized the multigenerational structure of the PSID and restricted-use geocodes to map kin proximity at every interview from 1981 to 2017. We cross-classified our sample by race and income, focusing on Black and White respondents across income quartiles (n = 171,501 person-periods). Results: High-income White respondents showed the greatest increases in distance from kin over time, whereas proximity to kin among other race-income groups was relatively stable. Conclusion: Proximate kin has become less central in the lives of high-income White households over time, whereas close proximity to kin has been the norm over time for other racial and income groups. These results have implications for racial and income differences in kin relations over time.

Factors Associated with Parenting Adaptability in Facing the First COVID-19 Lockdown: A Study on Portuguese Parents.

Parenting was drastically challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic as families complied with the consequent containment for sanitary and social reasons. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among self-report measures (co-parenting, emotional experience and parental support network) and the employment condition (teleworking parents and at-home parents with governmental leave aid) that might be associated with the everyday life change, and their contribution towards family's daily routines during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A sample of 878 parents (90.2% mothers), aged from 21 to 61 years (39.58 ± 6.08), and mainly of Portuguese nationality (97.2%), was gathered through an online survey. Participants completed sociodemographic data and answered questions related to four positive parenting dimensions (Daily routines, Co-parenting, Emotional experience, and Support network) rating on a five-point Likert scale how much their behavior changed during the lockdown. Descriptive statistics and multilinear regression models were tested as well as a mediation model. The results showed that Emotional experience, Co-parenting, and Support network played an important role in family Daily routines, reinforcing that the first COVID-19 lockdown was lived differently by parents according to their employment conditions. Furthermore, the pathways model of factors associated with parental adaptability is suggestive that the direct effect of Emotional experience on Daily routines is partially mediated by Co-parenting and Support network. In line with previous studies on the complexity and dynamic ecology of parenting, the reported indicators showcase the interrelated facets of parenting and its corresponding support needs. Further, clear indicators for the design of family support interventions and family resilience enhancement to stressor events are discussed.

Unraveling the link between family of origin and parental responsiveness toward own child.

This study investigates the influence of family of origin on parental responsiveness toward own child, taking into account gender differences. A total of 110 triads of mothers, fathers, and their first child aged 6-10 months participated in the standardized Free Play procedure. Parental responsiveness was assessed through observational measures (using Ainsworth procedure) and self-reported scales (Parental Responsiveness Scale). Results revealed correlations between objectively assessed responsiveness and self-reported parental styles in the family of origin, separately for mothers and fathers. Among mothers having daughters, parental sensitivity (an important aspect of observationally measured responsiveness) was positively correlated with having had a liberal loving mother and a negative correlation with an autocratic mother. Cooperation (another aspect of observationally measured responsiveness) was correlated positively with having had a liberal loving mother. Meanwhile, having a liberal unloving mother predicted lover sensitivity and cooperation. Similar correlations were not observed for mothers having sons. Among fathers having daughters, both aspects of observed responsiveness were positively correlated with having had a democratic father and negatively with autocratic or liberal unloving parents. Moreover, having a liberal unloving father and autocratic mother predicted their lower responsiveness toward daughters. These findings highlight the role of family dynamics in shaping parental responsiveness and emphasize the importance of understanding these dynamics in promoting responsive parenting.

Family Dynamics and Functioning of Adolescents from Two-Child and One-Child Families in China.

Background: To promote the balanced development with the population, China has phased out a one-child policy in 2016, and a two-child policy was launched, which has led to dramatic changes in family structure. The transition could be a huge challenge for adolescents who are in a period of psychological vulnerability. Purpose: This study explored the differences and predictors of family dynamics and functioning between two-child and one-child families in the context of China's two-child policy. Methods: We used the Self-rating scale of Systemic Family Dynamics (SSFD) and Family Assessment Device-General Functioning (FAD-GF) to investigate the family dynamics, family functioning, and family structure and status of 3289 adolescents under the background of China's two-child policy. Results: Results revealed that the mean scores for family atmosphere, personalization, disease concept, overall family dynamics, and family functioning health rate of the one-child families were higher than those of the two-child families. Parental marital status, mother's education, annual household income, and family economic satisfaction in two-child and one-child families was positively correlated with family dynamics and functioning, but not significantly associated with living style, parental age and employment. Family financial satisfaction, parental marital status, and distress in the family were predictors of family dynamics and functioning, and parental preference was also an important factor in two-child families. Conclusion: The findings suggest family atmosphere, personality, disease concept, family dynamics, and family functioning of the one-child families were better than those of the two-child families. Unlike one-child families, parental preference is an important predictor of family dynamics and functioning in two child families. This study increases our understanding of adolescents psychological problems during family structure transitions under the background of fertility policy, providing psychologists with more evidence-based evidence and intervention directions.

[Siblings in a pediatric intensive care unit]. / L'accueil des fratries dans un service de réanimation pédiatrique.

Welcoming visitors has long had difficulty finding its place in intensive care units, including pediatric units. This article describes the reflective approach adopted by a working group in the pediatric intensive care unit at the regional university hospital in Tours, with the aim of fully integrating the reception of siblings into the child's hospitalized care project. The momentum generated by this reflection has gradually enabled the family environment to be restructured around the child in care, reinvigorating a breath of life that extends far beyond the purely biological.

Patient and parent perspectives on the utility of telemedicine for initial surgical gender care consultations: A cross-sectional survey.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has expanded the use of telemedicine to patient populations that were previously constrained to in-person visits. Few studies have investigated the role that telemedicine plays in shaping the care of these patient populations. This project explores the impact of telemedicine for one such population: patients and parents of gender-diverse individuals seeking gender-affirming surgery. Methods: A 10-question survey using previously validated questions was completed by 34 patients and 9 parents of patients (aged 15-31) who received virtual care at the Center for Gender Surgery at Boston Children's Hospital between March 2020 and April 2021. The survey was divided into two parts. The first section collected demographic information. The second assessed participant perspectives on remote surgical gender care through a series of Likert-type and open-ended questions. Results: A total of 100% of the respondents felt that their telemedicine visit was convenient; 60% (18) of the patients and 87% (7) of the parents stated that they look forward to future use of this modality. Free responses highlighted common perspectives on remote surgical gender care, including the increased accessibility of gender-affirming care through telehealth, the limitations of telehealth for addressing physical and relational aspects of gender care, patients' desire for autonomy and privacy during telehealth visits, and parents' desire to be involved throughout their children's gender journey. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the unique ability of telemedicine, if implemented thoughtfully, to enhance outcomes for patients seeking surgical gender affirmation.

Impact of Family Function on the Quality of Life and Health Perception of Non-Institutionalized Dementia Patients.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is one of the pathologies that has increased the most among the older population (mainly Alzheimer's disease), and it has a direct impact on the quality of life (QoL), cognitive performance, and health of these patients. Family functionality can play a role in this QoL if these patients are not institutionalized. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of family function in the QoL and health perception of non-institutionalized dementia patients, as well as related variables such as anxiety, depression, optimism, or pessimism. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 54 patients diagnosed with some type of dementia, non-institutionalized, or in outpatient care, from different centers in the province of Valencia (Spain). The EQ-5D, MMSE, Apgar Family or general health, and Goldberg anxiety and depression questionnaires were utilized. RESULTS: The correlation of the Apgar Family with the General Health Questionnaire-new onset problems variable (GHQ) and Chronicity and General Health Questionnaire-chronic problems (CGHQ) of the Goldberg Quality of Life questionnaire was statistically significant and negative (GHQ r = -0.310; p = 0.034. CGHQ r = -0.363; p = 0.012); as well as between Apgar Family and Anxiety-Depression (r = -0.341; p = 0.020). The correlation of the Apgar Family with the Life Orientation Test-Pessimism variable (LOT) was statistically significant and negative (r = -0.270; p = 0.061). Finally, severe dysfunction of Apgar Family has a negative correlation with self-perception of health (p = 0.036 B = -16.589) determined by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). CONCLUSION: Family functionality directly influences anxiety, depression, optimism, and pessimism. This could explain why family function is related to the QoL of patients and their self-perception of health.

Strategies for managing group caregiving following hip-fracture surgery among family members: A grounded theory study.

BACKGROUND: Family members in many countries often share caregiving responsibilities for an older relative recovering from an injury. However, few studies have examined strategies employed when multiple family members provide care for an older relative recovering from hip-fracture surgery. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand family group caregiving strategies when two or more family members provide caregiving for an older relative recovering from hip-fracture surgery. METHODS: This study used a grounded theory design. Semistructured interviews were conducted over 1 year with 13 Taiwanese family caregivers from five families. Caregivers shared caregiving responsibilities for an older relative (62-92 years of age) recovering from hip-fracture surgery. Transcribed interviews were analysed using open, axial and selective coding. RESULTS: The core category describing caregiving among family members was 'Preventive Group Management: strategies for family group caregiving'. Three strategies were employed: explicit division of labour (two stem/patriarchal families and one older two-generation/democratic family); disconnected caregiving (one nuclear/noncommunicative family) and patriarchal caregiving (one extended/traditional Chinese family). Strategies reflected family type, structure, cultural values, communication patterns and available outside support. Components of family group caregiving involved family type's division of labour, approaches to caregiving and implementation challenges and allowed family caregivers to maximise safety and stability and prevent harmful events during their relative's recovery from surgery. CONCLUSIONS: There was no one-size-fits-all approach for the strategies of family group caregiving. Components of Preventive Group Management varied with family type, cultural values, communication patterns and available outside support. Healthcare professionals should be sensitive to the dynamics of family caregivers. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Enhance group management for family caregivers by developing interventions to optimize collaboration, thereby better addressing the needs of older adults recovering from hip fracture surgery.

Gender differences in family meal frequency and their association with substance use and mental health among middle and high school students.

Background: Family meals are associated with adolescent health outcomes. Studies have reported that girls are less likely than boys to have dinner with their families. Purpose: This study examined gender differences in family meal frequency and the relationship between meal frequency and other health measures, using a large and representative sample of California middle and high school students. Methods: This study analyzed data from the 2019-2020 California Student Tobacco Survey (159,904 students in grades 8, 10, and 12). Dinner with the family 5-7 times per week was defined as high frequency. Students reported substance use (of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol) and rated their mental health and happiness in their home life. All analyses were weighted to reflect the California student population. Results: Fewer than half (44.7%) of students reported a high frequency of family meals, with boys more likely than girls and those who identified their gender in another way the least likely to do so (48.3%, 42.2%, 34.0%, respectively). Gender differences persisted across demographics and the quality of family relationships, and were evident as early as eighth grade. Less frequent family meals were associated with poorer mental health (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.29-1.40) and substance use (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.21-1.32), controlling for the effects of demographics and family dynamics. Conclusion: Gender differences in family meal frequency emerge early in adolescence and persist across demographics and family relationships. Given that family meals play a protective role in an adolescent's life, these gender differences are concerning.

Relationship between family dynamics, spirituality, quality of life and happiness among older adults in Nigeria.

Happiness of older adults in rarely studied in the global south like Nigeria compared with the global north. This study assessed the relationship between family dynamics, spirituality, quality of life and happiness among older adults in Nigeria. Cross-sectional study of 378 older adults (≥60 years) were selected. Oxford Happiness questionnaire, the family dynamics, spirituality, and quality of life (QoL) were determined with the Family Relationship Index, spiritual Index of Well-being scale and Quality-of-Life Brief questionnaire respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out at α0,05. The mean age was 72,8±7,1 years and 255 (67,5%) were females. Majority 313 (82,8%) were assessed to be happy. Overall, family dynamics, spirituality, and health related QoL were significantly determinants of happiness (p<0,05). Among the women, there was good cohesion in the family dynamics (p=0,031), good health related QoL in the physical domain (p<0,001) and satisfaction with health (p=0,036) were the predictors of happiness. Having higher self-efficacy (p=0,018) and life scheme spirituality (p=0,050) were the predictors of happiness among the men. The present findings showed that most of the older adults were happy. Routine assessment and interventions could increase the feeling of happiness among older adults in the global south.

The "make or break" impact of family dynamics on psychological outcomes in focal epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Living with epilepsy can shape the dynamics of the whole family unit. The first objective of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of our purpose-built online family mapping tool: "Living with Epilepsy." Our second objective was to identify distinct patterns of emotional closeness between family members (family typologies), and to explore (1) whether family typologies are shaped by epilepsy-related factors, and (2) which typologies confer optimal psychological outcomes to people with epilepsy. METHODS: Ninety-one adults with chronic epilepsy and their caregivers (n = 56) participated and 70 similarly aged healthy controls and 36 caregiver controls (N = 253). Purpose-built software assessed a range of epilepsy-specific psychosocial issues, including family mapping. Questionnaires validated for epilepsy evaluated mood and quality of life (QOL). RESULTS: The reliability and validity of the family mapping tool was established. Family maps revealed three typologies varying in emotional closeness, each with distinct patterns of healthy vs maladaptive family behavior: Extremely Close (32%), Close (54%), and Fractured (14%). There was no difference in the frequency of typology between epilepsy and control families (p > .05). Within the epilepsy cohort, however, patients with seizure onset in childhood largely belonged to the extreme typologies: Extremely Close (47%) or Fractured (42%). In comparison, those with adolescent or adult onset commonly belonged to the moderate typology: Close (53%). People with epilepsy from Extremely Close families reported significantly higher QOL (p = .013) and lower mood symptoms (p = .008) relative to other typologies; no such association was found for controls or caregivers (p > .05). SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that adults whose epilepsy commenced in childhood are likely to have extreme family dynamics characterized by either being brought closer together or driven apart. Extremely close families appear highly adaptive for people with epilepsy, bringing benefits for mood and QOL not seen in their caregivers or controls. The results provide strong empirical support for the value of an emotionally supportive family when living with epilepsy and suggest that fostering healthy connections within epilepsy families can optimize long-term patient well-being.

Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic together: Discussions between persons with early-stage dementia and their adult children.

OBJECTIVES: Studies have separately examined the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with dementia and their caregivers. Less attention has been paid to the social and emotional impacts of the pandemic in this population or how these individuals are mutually coping with the pandemic. Guided by the social citizenship theory, this qualitative study sought to characterize how persons with dementia and their adult children are coping during this time with a focus on the strengths demonstrated by persons with dementia. METHODS: Participants were 43 dyads of individuals aged 55 and older with early-stage dementia and their adult children. Discussions between parent-child dyads were recorded. Using reflexive thematic analysis, themes related to social and emotional impacts of the pandemic and coping strategies were identified. RESULTS: Adult children shared with their parents how the pandemic resulted in reduced social engagement and challenging work arrangements. Dyads described how the pandemic positively impacted their relationship, allowing some of them to spend more time together. In coping with the pandemic, adult children provided instrumental support to their parents and parents reciprocated with emotional support. Participants also coped by making meaning of their situation during discussions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings characterize the resilience of persons with dementia and the mutuality of the relationship between both members of the care partner dyad, as both parents and adult children offered support to one another. Facilitating dyadic discussions may be a cost-effective way to sustain social connections and offer ongoing coping support through the pandemic or other challenging circumstances.

Ancient and Nonuniform Loss of Olfactory Receptor Expression Renders the Shark Nose a De Facto Vomeronasal Organ.

Cartilaginous fishes are renowned for a keen sense of smell, a reputation based on behavioral observations and supported by the presence of large and morphologically complex olfactory organs. At the molecular level, genes belonging to the four families coding for most olfactory chemosensory receptors in other vertebrates have been identified in a chimera and a shark, but it was unknown whether they actually code for olfactory receptors in these species. Here, we describe the evolutionary dynamics of these gene families in cartilaginous fishes using genomes of a chimera, a skate, a sawfish, and eight sharks. The number of putative OR, TAAR, and V1R/ORA receptors is very low and stable, whereas the number of putative V2R/OlfC receptors is higher and much more dynamic. In the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula, we show that many V2R/OlfC receptors are expressed in the olfactory epithelium in the sparsely distributed pattern characteristic for olfactory receptors. In contrast, the other three vertebrate olfactory receptor families are either not expressed (OR) or only represented with a single receptor (V1R/ORA and TAAR). The complete overlap of markers of microvillous olfactory sensory neurons with pan-neuronal marker HuC in the olfactory organ suggests the same cell-type specificity of V2R/OlfC expression as for bony fishes, that is, in microvillous neurons. The relatively low number of olfactory receptors in cartilaginous fishes compared with bony fishes could be the result of an ancient and constant selection in favor of a high olfactory sensitivity at the expense of a high discrimination capability.

COVID-19, Family Dynamics, and Perceived Mental Health Among Families in Singapore.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the well-being of families with children. Although previous studies have documented COVID-related deterioration in parents' mental health, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. It is also unclear how much of the deterioration is due to the pandemic itself, versus mandated lockdown measures. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Singapore to examine perceived changes in parents' lives and mental health related to the pandemic and lockdown measures. In June 2020, when Singapore had just exited a nationwide lockdown, we asked families to retrospectively report on the family dynamics, daily activities, and mental health of family members during the phases before local transmission (Pre-pandemic), during local transmission but before the lockdown (Pre-lockdown), and during the lockdown (Lockdown). Results from 180 mothers and 166 fathers from 198 families showed significant changes in jobs and income, childcare arrangements, family dynamics, and parents' perceived mental health across the three timepoints. Mothers' increased time spent on housework was associated with the increase in their mental health problems from Pre-lockdown to Lockdown. Parents' increased conflict with other adults in the household was associated with the increase in their mental health problems from Pre-pandemic to Pre-lockdown, and from Pre-lockdown to Lockdown. Mental health problems increased more for young mothers, parents with a graduate or professional degree, and fathers high on authoritarian values. Findings suggest that both the pandemic and the imposed lockdown measures impact parents' lives and family dynamics, in turn leading to deterioration in parents' mental health.