The Experiences of Parents in South Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ecological Systems Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/journalspsd.2025.2Keywords:
Ecological systems, Parents, Lived experiences, South Africa, COVID-19Abstract
COVID-19 has caused havoc on the stability of families in South Africa. Although researchers have explored the impacts of the pandemic worldwide, no studies have been done to explore the COVID-19 experiences of parents in South Africa. The exploration of parents' lived experiences from an ecological perspective can provide insight to researchers and policy makers on how best to empower parents. Furthermore, it can provide a comprehensive understanding about parents' lived experiences during a pandemic in a developing country. The research question was: ‘What are the lived experiences of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa?’. The study was qualitative in nature, participants were recruited from four provinces in South Africa using non-probability, purposive sampling methods. Data was gathered using one-on-one, semi-structured interviews and subsequently analysed using Creswell’s (2014) model of thematic analysis. The findings from the study indicate both negative and positive experiences around the following issues: COVID-19 perceptions, relationships and spouse relationships, connections and lost connections, changes in routine, financial status, education, and positive experiences. The article concludes that comprehensive interventions for empowering parents during pandemics should be developed.
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