The role of social networks and economic capital in familial coping during lockdowns

This study examines the coping capacities of families during the Covid-19 lockdown in relation to their material and social resources. Specifically, we examine (1) how familial modes of living changed during the lockdown; (2) how the affected families coped with these changes; and (3) how families’ coping strategies were influenced by their social and material capital. We analyze problem centered interviews with 30 families and the ego-centered networks of these families, conducted in spring 2020 and autumn 2021. Our typology shows that inequalities increased in the pandemic. In families that had both strong networks and ample material security, the crisis had only a minor impact on how they lived their everyday lives. By contrast, families that had neither supportive networks nor sufficient material resources felt vulnerable during the crisis, and threatened to break down. Families that had either support from their networks or greater material security were able to cope only with great effort.