Last month, we heard from researchers about the uneven effects of the pandemic on families. In this episode, we hear directly from parents about some of their unique challenges. We also talk with scientists who identified related trends in their research and share some ideas about what families can do.

Dr. Amanda Zelechoski talks with Dr. Heather Prime and Dr. Nicole Racine about their research findings, including the mental health impact of the pandemic on mothers specifically, some barriers single parents and co-parents face, and what all of this means for the family unit as a whole.

Included in this episode about pandemic motherhood:

- how the pandemic affected mother’s mental health

- how the parents navigated the pandemic lockdowns as couples, co-parents, and single parents

- stories from listeners about their challenges and silver linings during the pandemic

Additional Resources

- SHEcovery - A Roadmap to Address COVID-19’s Impact on Women and Girls (Chicago Foundation for Women)

- COVID-19 stress toll is a family affair: 4 ways to support mothers' mental health by Nicole Racine, Erin Hetherington, Sheri Madigan, and Suzanne Tough (The Conversation)

- 4 Tips for Improving Family Wellness (The Globe and Mail)

- Child and youth mental health problems have doubled during COVID-19 by Nicole Racine, Brae Anne McArthur, and Sheri Madigan (The Conversation)

- Infographic: COVID-19 and Stress in Families (Prime Lab)

- Infographic: Love Together, Parent Together: Supporting Couples During COVID-19 (Prime Lab)

Meet Our Guests

Heather Prime, Ph.D., C. Psych. joined the Department of Psychology at York University as an assistant professor in 2020. She is a child psychologist and researcher with a specialization in mental health from a family systems perspective. She is passionate about the interconnections between the well-being of family members and relationships. She studies how families can themselves serve as an island of strength and resilience for children during challenging times. She uses this approach in designing evidence-based interventions for children and families that aim to strengthen family relationships, and in her work with families in the community in her role as a clinical psychologist.

Nicole Racine, Ph.D., R. Psych. is a clinical psychologist and Independent Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. She received her PhD in Clinical-Developmental Psychology at York University, including a residency in Clinical and Pediatric Child Psychology at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. In collaboration with community and interdisciplinary partners, her research program examines the impact of childhood adversity on child mental health and wellbeing, how this adversity is transmitted across generations, and what prevention and intervention strategies can promote resilience despite these experiences. Dr. Racine is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Governor General’s Gold Medal Award for her doctoral studies (2017) as well as the Canadian Psychological Association President’s New Researcher Award (2021). She is also the recipient of two knowledge engagement awards for her collaborative community-based projects.