Change in Financial Stress and Relational Wellbeing During COVID-19: Exacerbating and Alleviating Influences.

Guided by the family adjustment and adaptation response (FAAR) model and using a panel survey of 1510 adults in the US administered during the summer of 2020 and a mixed methods approach, we explored associations between changes in financial stress related to COVID-19 and relational wellbeing. Regression analyses showed that, compared to those who maintained their levels of financial stress, those who reported increased financial stress reported increased conflict and those who reported decreased financial stress reported decreased conflict. However, decreased financial stress was also associated with decreases in emotional closeness and relationship happiness, suggesting that changes in financial stress can lead to both maladaptation and bonadaptation in families. Qualitative findings provide insights into factors that may exacerbate or help alleviate financial stress related to COVID-19.

Family Matters: Decade Review from Journal of Family and Economic Issues.

This article reviews research regarding economic influences on a variety of family matters published in Journal of Family and Economic Issues from 2010 to 2019. As finances permeate nearly every facet of everyday life, scholarly research related to finances and family issues has spanned a wide array of topics. We briefly review research focused on the following 11 areas related to finances and family matters: (a) family formation decisions, (b) gender and relational power in family finances and relationships, (c) finances and fathers, (d) finances and mothers, (e) finances and parenting, (f) finances and elderly family members, (g) finances and couple relationships, (h) supporting family members financially, (i) how economic policy affects family, (j) economic roots of migration by family members, and (k) family financial socialization. As we enter a new decade, emphasis to directions for future research is given and integrated throughout. Recommendations specific to each of these topics are integrated into the discussion of the topic. Additional and more general recommendations for future research are offered as we conclude our review.

The Cost of Cancer: The Association of Financial and Cancer-Related Stress on Maladaptive Coping Styles in Families with a Cancer Diagnosis.

According to the American Cancer Society (2020), it is estimated that 1.8 million new cancer diagnoses will occur in 2019 in the United States. Due to the frequency of cancer diagnoses and the increasing costs of treatment, financial stress is common among cancer patients. Guided by the Family Systems Illness Model (FSI), a cross-sectional study of individuals and family members where there was an active cancer diagnosis (n = 53) was conducted. The study utilized structural equation modeling to examine the impact of cancer stress and financial stress on maladaptive family coping mechanisms, and in turn, their effect on family communication and satisfaction. Findings indicate individuals with higher financial stress reported greater cancer stress. In turn, individuals with higher cancer stress, reported higher rigidity in their family coping which was associated with less family satisfaction. Additionally, as individuals reported greater family disengagement and chaos, lower levels of family communication and satisfaction were found. These findings provide evidence to the complex stresses experienced by cancer patients and their families. Therapeutic implications of how emotionally focused therapy may support these families dealing with a cancer diagnosis are discussed.

Is the minimum enough? Affordability of a nutritious diet for minimum wage earners in Nova Scotia (2002-2012).

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to assess the affordability of a nutritious diet for households earning minimum wage in Nova Scotia (NS) from 2002 to 2012 using an economic simulation that includes food costing and secondary data. METHODS: The cost of the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) was assessed with a stratified, random sample of grocery stores in NS during six time periods: 2002, 2004/2005, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. The NNFB's cost was factored into affordability scenarios for three different household types relying on minimum wage earnings: a household of four; a lone mother with three children; and a lone man. Essential monthly living expenses were deducted from monthly net incomes using methods that were standardized from 2002 to 2012 to determine whether adequate funds remained to purchase a basic nutritious diet across the six time periods. RESULTS: A 79% increase to the minimum wage in NS has resulted in a decrease in the potential deficit faced by each household scenario in the period examined. However, the household of four and the lone mother with three children would still face monthly deficits ($44.89 and $496.77, respectively, in 2012) if they were to purchase a nutritiously sufficient diet. CONCLUSION: As a social determinant of health, risk of food insecurity is a critical public health issue for low wage earners. While it is essential to increase the minimum wage in the short term, adequately addressing income adequacy in NS and elsewhere requires a shift in thinking from a focus on minimum wage towards more comprehensive policies ensuring an adequate livable income for everyone.