Table 4 Standardized estimates for cross-lagged path model assessing the bidirectional relationship between caregiver pandemic-related stress, caregiver mental health, and child externalizing symptoms

Autoregressive coefficients

 Caregiver stress T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.45***

.11

.001

 Caregiver stress T2 → Caregiver stress T3

.49***

.14

.001

 Caregiver MH T1 → Caregiver MH T2

.59***

.09

.001

 Caregiver MH T2 → Caregiver MH T3

.27*

.12

.023

 Child externalizing T1 → Child Externalizing T2

.68***

.07

.001

 Child Externalizing T2 → Child Externalizing T3

.58***

.09

.001

Predicting caregiver MH

 Caregiver stress T1 → Caregiver MH T2

.09

.09

.286

 Caregiver stress T2 → Caregiver MH T3

.10

.12

.417

 Child Externalizing T1 → Caregiver MH T2

.10

.08

.216

 Child Externalizing T2 → Caregiver MH T3

-.07

.07

.307

Predicting caregiver stress

 Caregiver MH T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.21*

.10

.039

 Caregiver MH T2 → Caregiver stress T3

.08

.09

.402

 Child externalizing T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.10

.08

.209

 Child externalizing T2 → Caregiver stress T3

-.02

.11

.879

Predicting child externalizing

 Caregiver MH T1 → Child externalizing T2

-.05

.08

.521

 Caregiver MH T2 → Child externalizing T3

.14*

.07

.041

 Caregiver stress T1 → Child externalizing T2

.08

.10

.452

 Caregiver stress T2 → Child externalizing T3

-.11

.09

.192