Depression, parenting and the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: results from three nationally representative cross-sectional surveys

OBJECTIVES: Depression is associated with problems in functioning in many aspects of life, including parenting. COVID-19 has increased risk factors for depression. We investigated the prevalence of depression among parents during the pandemic and the association with dysfunctional parenting. DESIGN: Canadian nationwide cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The 2020 and 2021 Surveys on COVID-19 and Mental Health (SCMH) and the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) (2015‒2019). Responding sample sizes for parents were 3121 for the 2020-SCMH; 1574 for the 2021-SCMH and 6076 for the CCHS. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: All three surveys collected information on symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD). The SCMH measured harsh parenting. RESULTS: Based on data from the 2021-SCMH collected during wave 3 of COVID-19, 14.4% of fathers and 21.2% of mothers screened positive for MDD. These prevalence estimates were similar to those from the 2020-SCMH during wave 2, but at least two times higher than pre-COVID-19 estimates from the CCHS. Multivariate analyses revealed a linear association between MDD and harsh parenting. COVID-19-related stressors were associated with harsh parenting. Among mothers, feeling lonely or isolated because of COVID-19 was a risk factor for harsh parenting; among fathers, being a front-line worker was a risk factor. Meditation was a protective factor for mothers. CONCLUSIONS: After years of stability, the prevalence of MDD increased substantially among Canadian parents during the pandemic. Ongoing monitoring is vital to determine if elevated levels of depression persist because chronic depression increases the likelihood of negative child outcomes. Programmes aimed at addressing depression and bolstering parenting skills are needed as families continue to face stressors associated with COVID-19.