Effects of the COVID-pandemic:The role of family culture and effects on well-being

During the COVID pandemic governments across the globe put restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus. During
the strict lock-down phase, people were only permitted to leave the house for essential reasons, and visiting of family
members living in a different household was not allowed. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible effects of
these COVID restrictions on well-being according to different family models. Extending Kağitçibasi’s (2007, 2013) postulated
family model by Manzi et al.’s (2006) aspects of family cultures (enmeshment, cohesion, autonomy and social support) we
first explored, if these family models can be replicated in Luxembourg. We then tested, if lock-down restrictions affected
family models differently in terms of well-being.
A total of N = 244 (Mage = 35 years, SD = 12.2; 73% female) completed our online questionnaire at the time of the strict
lockdown in April-Mai 2020 in Luxembourg. To capture the impact of the pandemic, the questionnaire was divided into two
parts. First, participants answered questions about their well-being, family culture and closeness to their parents in general.
Participants were then reminded of COVID lockdown restrictions and asked to answer under these restrictions.
Using cluster analysis we identified three family models, namely psychologically interdependent families (focus on cohesion
and social support), independent families (focus on autonomy), and interdependent families (focus: enmeshment, cohesion
and social support). The independent family cluster showed lower well-being before and during the pandemic compared to
psychologically interdependent families. Our findings suggest that different family models as postulated by Kağitçibasi are
indeed affected differently by the pandemic. Furthermore, there appears to be a particular association between cohesion
and well-being. Implications of these findings will be discussed also in the family model framework.