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Research Article: Protocol for the COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study: a longitudinal study of parent distress, biological stress and child biopsychosocial development during the pandemic and beyond

Date Published: 2023-08-14

Abstract:
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has had a unique impact on the mental health and well-being of pregnant individuals and parents of young children. However, the impact of COVID-19-related stress during pregnancy on early child biopsychosocial development, remains unclear. The COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study will: (1) investigate the impact of different forms of prenatal stress experienced during the pandemic (including objective hardship, perceived psychological distress and biological stress) on child stress biology, (2) examine the association between child stress biology and child developmental outcomes, (3) determine whether child stress biology acts as a mechanism linking prenatal stress to adverse child developmental outcomes and (4) assess whether gestational age at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic or child sex, moderate these associations. Methods and analyses The COVID-19 Wellbeing and Stress Study is a prospective longitudinal study, consisting of six time points, spanning from pregnancy to 3 years postpartum. The study began in June 2020, consisting of 304 pregnant people from Ontario, Canada. This multimethod study is composed of questionnaires, biological samples, behavioural observations and developmental assessments Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (#11034) and the Mount Saint Vincent University Research Ethics Board (#2020-187, #2021-075, #2022-008). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed presentations and publications, community presentations, and electronic forums (social media, newsletters and website postings).

Introduction:
Since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, declared on 11 March 2020, 1 the lives of millions of individuals have been impacted. Given the imminent risk to public health, governments globally implemented public health measures to mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including travel restrictions, physical and social distancing, school and daycare closures, and restricted access to in-person healthcare. In addition to the high rates of morbidity and mortality, the economic and social ramifications of…

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