How does COVID-19 affect marginalized families? Stress and coping among south Asian families in Hong Kong

Theories, Research Background, and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed unprecedented and constant challenges for families, particularly those who are marginalized (Prime et al., 2020; Fegert et al., 2020). Despite the well-documented negative impact of COVID-19 on Chinese families in Hong Kong (e.g., Chan et al., 2021), limited research has examined the difficulties faced by local ethnic minorities including South Asian families. Based on the model of risk and resilience in family well-being (Prime et al., 2020) and theories of stress and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), this study aimed to delve deeper into the stress and coping strategies encountered by South Asian families in Hong Kong during COVID-19.
Methodology: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 South Asian parents residing in Hong Kong. Each interview lasted approximately 60 minutes. Data were analysed using thematic analysis by generating coding categories, coding, and identifying salient themes (Aronson, 1995).
Results: Findings suggested that South Asian families experienced pre-existing vulnerabilities, protective factors, and stress revolving around COVID-19. In addition to COVID-19 related stressors such as challenges in physical health, parents encountered challenges in family dynamics, social relationships, racism, and religious practices as a result of the pandemic and social restrictions. To deal with challenges, South Asian parents applied adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, including seeking social support, cognitive reappraisal, planful problem-solving, and distancing.
Discussion, Implications, and Limitations: This study underscored the need for researchers and practitioners to recognize the unique stressors and coping strategies experienced by marginalized families during COVID-19. The findings added to the literature about the experiences of South Asian families in Hong Kong during COVID-19. Nevertheless, the qualitative design limited the generalisability of the findings to ethnic minorities in Hong Kong and other contexts. Future research should apply both qualitative and quantitative approaches to further study this topic. Copyright © 2023 The Author(s).