Effect of COVID-19 lockdown on intrafamilial relationship in Urban Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created public health crisis and economic instability globally. However, the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown have a significant impact on the psychosocial status, emotional state, relationships of individuals, family, and community. Families were facing challenges due to lockdown and will do their best to develop adaptive behavior for attaining self-stability. The present study helps to understand the effect of lockdown on family well-being and the shift of intrafamilial relationships during the lockdown. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in an urban area of Kakinada from April to June 2020. A convenient sample of 300 families was selected by systematic random method. One parent and one adolescent child from each family, a total of 600 study participants were included under the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using IBM SPSS. The mean, frequencies, proportion, and Chi-square test were used to analyze data. Results: Adaptability has increased during lockdown by sharing of household work, from 3% before to 91.7%. 97.3% were happy spending time with family members. Communication and satisfaction have increased by a decrease in conflicts, from 19.7% to 7% during the lockdown. Only 3.08% of adults were facing either physical or verbal abuse. Conclusions: During the lockdown period, the family members spent quality time together acquired new skills, and conflicts among them were reduced. Domestic violence is low in this particular study area and familial bonding is high.

Keywords

• covid-19
• family
• lockdown
• relationships