(PS3-A6) Family Relationships and Mental Health in Racially Diverse College Students During the covid-19 Pandemic

            The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique stresses to college students resulting in negative mental health outcomes and, for many, drastic changes in family dynamics. Quarantine measures required many students to leave campus and move back home with their families, conflicting with the increased independence that is a hallmark of young adulthood. Changes in family dynamics are of concern because family relationships contribute to the mental health status of college students. Racial-ethnic minority students particularly may face considerable challenges (e.g., living in multigenerational households) that may exacerbate the changes to the dynamics of their family relationships. These changes are of interest because students from collectivistic cultures are more likely to depend on family systems for social support. There is a need to better understand how mental health during COVID-19 is related to changes in family relationships. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between the quality of family relationships during the pandemic and depression and anxiety symptoms and to determine whether the relationship varied by race. 

In November 2020, a diverse sample of college students (n = 1235; 20% Latinx, 19% Asian, 6% Black) from universities in New York and New Jersey completed an online survey assessing the social and mental health impact of COVID-19. Linear regression models were conducted to examine the effect of the quality of family relationships and ethnicity on depression and anxiety scores. There was a main effect of the quality of family relationships on depressive scores (b  = -2.51, p < .001). For every 1 unit increase in quality of family relationships, depression scores decreased by 2.51 points. There was also a main effect of the quality of family relationships on anxiety scores (b  = -1.91, p < .001). For every 1 unit increase in the quality of family relationships, anxiety scores decreased by 1.91 points. A dummy variable for race was applied with non-Latinx White as the reference group. Race did not impact the relationship between the quality of family relationships and depression or anxiety symptoms.

These findings suggest that regardless of race, worsened family relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic are negatively associated with mental health outcomes for college students. Contrastingly, improved family relationships during the pandemic may serve as a protective factor against adverse mental health outcomes during these high stress times. These findings underline the importance of understanding the impact of the pandemic on the quality of family relationships to develop resources and interventions to address depression and anxiety in college students.