Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new infectious disease that has had a significant impact on daily life. This study investigated the effect of changes in family life due to COVID-19 on depressive mood and stress perception. We used data from the "Survey on changes in family life due to COVID-19" in Korea. The final study population comprised 1500 adults with children aged ≤19 years. Of the total respondents, 59.3% responded that depressive mood and stress had increased due to COVID-19. However, among them, 46.6% did not attempt to resolve or could not find a way to resolve their depressive mood and stress. In multiple logistic regression analyses, a decrease in household income and increased household expenditure due to COVID-19 were significantly associated with an increased risk of depressive mood and stress perception. Depressive mood and stress were significantly higher in respondents who had experienced family conflicts. These results could be used to assess changes in family life and manage mental health when a new infectious disease occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the long-term effects of changes in family life due to COVID-19 on mental health.
Keywords: COVID-19; child care; depression; family relations; psychological stress.