Parents may need some extra support during the pandemic, both emotionally and logistically.
But fathers are significantly more likely to say they need emotional support during the pandemic than mothers, according to new research by the American Psychological Association.
Overall, 75% of parents with children under 18 said they could have used more emotional support, which includes having a friend, family member or mental health professional whom you can consult when you are worried or upset, according to to APA’s The “Stress in America” report was published on Thursday.
More specifically, 82% of parents said they needed more support than they received since the start of the pandemic, while only 68% of surveyed mothers said the same thing.
So, what’s up with that discrepancy?
To begin with, much research has shown that men tend to have smaller social support networks than women, Dr. Lynn Bufka, APA’s senior director of transformation and quality of practice, told CNBC Make It.
“A lot of men’s social support and social connections generally tend to come from work and their partners,” says Bufka.
With many people working remotely during the pandemic, there are fewer opportunities to interact with friends in the workplace.
Women are also less available to their partners during this period, because the data suggest that women assumed more responsibility during the pandemic, says Bufka.
In fact, a recent study of 31,141 people from five countries found that women, especially mothers, spent more time on “needs” like childcare and household chores during the pandemic than men.
Part of this has to do with the way men and women are socialized to share domestic roles “inside and outside”, says Bufka. Other literature has shown that the person in a couple who is perceived as having the most flexible job tends to take on more responsibility, she says. (It is unclear how many of the 3,000 American adults included in the APA survey, conducted in mid-February, are same-sex or heterosexual couples.)
“When you put that together, you have men, who were more likely to trust their partners, who now took on a lot more responsibility during the pandemic,” said Bufka. “And men have less access to sources of livelihood through work.”
On the other hand, mothers were more likely than fathers to say that their mental health has worsened compared to before the pandemic, according to the study. Nearly half of mothers (47%) who have children at home doing distance learning reported that their mental health deteriorated, while 30% of parents with children at home said the same.
A separate survey published in December found that working mothers are 28% more likely to suffer from burnout than fathers.
Ultimately, being widespread has consequences in real life. With daycare centers and schools closed due to the pandemic, many women were forced to leave their jobs due to increased demand at home. The total number of women who have left the workforce since the start of the pandemic reached more than 2.3 million in January.
Bufka encourages people who are in a position to help (perhaps those who do not have small children at home) to offer a hand to their parents.
“Recognize that people who have young children who may be struggling may not necessarily know that you are available to play outside with the children for a while,” she says.
For people with children, “really think about it: is there anyone who can support us? How would that be? What would really make a difference?” she suggests.
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