Is Family Economic Well-Being Sufficient to Mitigate Psychological Symptoms in Social Work Interventions? Mediating Roles of Family Emotional Well-Being and Interaction During COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the complex interplay between family economic well-being and psychological health, a critical area at the intersection of social work and public health. This study investigates the relationships between family economic well-being, psychological symptoms, family emotional well-being, and family interaction among university students who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns with their families. Drawing on Family Resilience Theory, we hypothesized that family economic well-being would negatively predict psychological symptoms, and that this relationship would be mediated by family emotional well-being and family interaction. Data were collected from 587 university students using the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale (25 items) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (53 items). Structural equation modeling revealed that family economic well-being negatively predicted psychological symptoms. However, mediation analysis uncovered an inconsistent mediation effect: while the direct effect of economic well-being on psychological symptoms was positive, the indirect effect through family emotional well-being and family interaction was negative and stronger. These findings inform social work practice and public health interventions by illuminating the complex dynamics between economic factors and family resilience during crises. They underscore the need for integrated approaches in addressing both economic and psychosocial aspects of family well-being in community health initiatives and social work interventions.