University of New Hampshire
McNair Scholar, 2021
Major: Nursing
Mentor: Dr. Alyssa O'Brien, Department of Nursing
Research Title: Analyzing Family Stress in America: A Look at Maternal Experiences During Covid-19 Pandemic
Abstract:
Every family undergoes and handles struggles and challenges differently. While there has been much research dedicated to family and maternal stress, there remains a gap in knowledge surrounding the experiences of mothers who are under the pressures of family stress and parenting stress within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses a narrative inquiry approach to examine and better understand the experiences of mothers who are caring for children under the age of four during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on previous narrative research, it is likely that data saturation will be reached with 10-15 mothers participating in semi-structured interviews. Expected findings include the understanding that mothers experience stress associated with 1) parenting responsibilities; 2) finances; 3) familial and partner relationships; 4) lack of resources; and 5) time demands. However, the impact of these stressors and mothers' coping mechanisms are predicted to change from previous research because of the pandemic.
