Since the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to spread worldwide without significant slowing until January 2023. Following the World Health Organization’s declaration of the pandemic, governments around the world implemented measures to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19. Measures included the closure of schools, cinemas, and theaters, along with a temporary lockdown. These restrictions led to increased time spent at home for children, resulting in changes to family dynamics and children’s behavior. Studies examining children of various ages, from infancy to adolescence, have reported effects such as disrupted sleep patterns, increased screen time, and heightened dependence on parents, along with behavioral changes like inattention and irritability. Especially in urban areas where access to outdoor spaces is limited, parents bore the primary responsibility of supporting their children through these challenges during quarantine.

Given that mothers often serve as primary caregivers, the pandemic may have exacerbated their burdens. Some argue that the pandemic has disproportionately affected women, potentially setting back progress toward gender equality. As parents spent more time at home during lockdowns, some also had to balance remote work with increased domestic responsibilities. A study of Canadian parents found that factors like having more time available and transitioning to remote work may have led to greater involvement of fathers in household and childcare tasks, especially as they became more aware of caregiving needs they previously overlooked. Comparing perceptions of household labor before and during the pandemic, researchers noted a slight move toward a more equal distribution of tasks during the earlier stages of the pandemic. However, research from cultures with more collectivistic values suggests that the gender gap in household labor either persisted or widened during COVID-19. Despite initial shifts seen in some places, the overall trend in these cultures was toward traditional gender roles remaining dominant, with women shouldering a disproportionate share of domestic responsibilities.

While factors like work conditions influence fathers’ engagement in childcare, research emphasizes the significant influence of mothers as gatekeepers in father-child relationships. Maternal gatekeeping involves mothers’ preferences and efforts to control fathers’ involvement in household and childcare activities. Mothers may either encourage (gate opening) or discourage (gate closing) fathers’ participation through their attitudes and behaviors. Maternal encouragement of paternal involvement is vital for fostering father-child bonds, while maternal behaviors that restrict father involvement can create barriers. Despite the growing emphasis on the significance of father involvement for children’s healthy development, domestic tasks, including childcare, are still primarily seen as women’s responsibility, ingrained in traditional gender roles.

Our study with 91 Turkish couples with at least one child between 0 and 5 years old showed that mothers spent more time on housework and childcare activities compared to fathers during the second wave of COVID-19, regardless of whether they worked from home or not. While some research suggests that women spend more time on domestic tasks when working from home, our findings suggest that other factors, beyond work contexts, drive the gender disparity in household responsibilities.

In collectivistic cultures like Turkey, certain social roles are deeply ingrained. These roles lead to anxiety about meeting family expectations, even when circumstances allow for redefining parental roles. Despite women’s increasing participation in full-time employment, mothers still prioritize childcare and housework, often to protect their investment in their children and maintain their position in marriage. In other words, women sometimes compensate for being the primary breadwinner by taking on more domestic tasks.

During the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave in Turkey, both mothers and fathers spent more time on childcare when both parents worked from home. While mothers spent less time in childcare activities when only fathers worked from home, fathers maintained or increased their work hours. Also, fathers perceived higher levels of maternal gatekeeping than mothers, consistent with previous research in Turkey. This suggests that women’s responsibilities in household and childcare tasks remain consistent, regardless of their employment status. These perceptions were less affected by the fathers’ work context.

Encouraging greater father involvement in childcare and housework is crucial for children’s development and promoting gender equality. Understanding the barriers to father involvement, including maternal attitudes and behaviors, is essential for informing interventions and social policies aimed at promoting more egalitarian family dynamics.

F. Kubra Aytac is a PhD candidate in Psychology at The Ohio State University. Her primary research interests are adult attachment, coparenting, couple relationships, and mental health.

The study discussed in this blog is published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies. I would like to recognize my advisor and co-author, Dr. Sarah J. Schoppe-Sullivan.