Table 5 Standardized estimates for cross-lagged path model assessing the bidirectional relationship between caregiver pandemic-related stress, caregiver mental health, and child internalizing symptoms

Autoregressive coefficients

 Caregiver stress T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.47***

.08

.001

 Caregiver stress T2 → Caregiver stress T3

.51***

.09

.001

 Caregiver MH T1 → Caregiver MH T2

.64***

.07

.001

 Caregiver MH T2 → Caregiver MH T3

.29***

.12

.016

 Child Internalizing T1 → Child internalizing T2

.56***

.07

.001

 Child internalizing T2 → Child internalizing T3

.60***

.08

.001

Predicting caregiver MH

 Caregiver stress T1 → Caregiver MH T2

.11

.08

.165

 Caregiver stress T2 → Caregiver MH T3

.12

.10

.239

 Child internalizing T1 → Caregiver MH T2

-.02

.08

.842

 Child internalizing T2 → Caregiver MH T3

.02

.09

.822

Predicting Caregiver stress

 Caregiver MH T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.24**

.09

.006

 Caregiver MH T2 → Caregiver stress T3

.07

.10

.491

 Child internalizing T1 → Caregiver stress T2

.01

.09

.900

 Child internalizing T2 → Caregiver stress T3

.23*

.10

.019

Predicting child internalizing

 Caregiver MH T1 → Child internalizing T2

-.04

.09

.612

 Caregiver MH T2 → Child internalizing T3

.15

.10

.133

 Caregiver stress T1 → Child internalizing T2

.22*

.09

.011

 Caregiver stress T2 → Child internalizing T3

-.02

.11

.887