Stay home—the impact of social distancing in families during covid-19 lockdown: The case of cyprus

Abstract

Everyone has experiences that make them feel upset, disappointed, or fatigued. When these types of feelings are combined with certain life events or situations, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, they often lead to mounting tension and stress. A crisis is a disruption or breakdown in a person’s or a family’s normal or usual pattern of functioning. The aims and objectives of this study are to explore how lockdown and social distancing had an impact on family relations in Cyprus and to what extent affected stress level of participants. By examining the impact of social distancing among adults 18 and older (N = 160), valuable conclusions were extracted. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to strengthen the idea of using alternative approaches in social preventions and/or interventions in crisis in order to deal with stress. The study argues that the disruption of usual patterns of functioning, in addition to other psychosocial and economic factors, diminishes the quality of life, resulting in tension and stress in a family environment. On the other hand, findings from the current study indicate an enhancement of relationships in challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.