Trajectories of Children’s Socio-Emotional Development From Pre- to Post-Pandemic: Family Risk and Resilience in the FinnBrain Birth Cohort

This study examined trajectories of Finnish children’s socio-emotional development across the COVID-19 pandemic and into post-pandemic recovery, and their associations with parental distress, COVID-19 stressors, and family resilience. Participants were 1,990 children from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort (ages 4–9; 53% male; White European) assessed across eight waves from 2017 to 2024. Children’s prosocial behavior rose at the pandemic’s onset and then declined modestly but stayed above pre-pandemic levels. Children’s internalizing problems were stable, and externalizing problems declined with age without pandemic-specific shifts. Parental distress consistently predicted poorer socio-emotional outcomes, while family resilience—particularly perceived social support—was broadly protective. Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium modeling showed family resilience had lasting effects, parental distress temporary disruptions, and COVID-19 stressors short-lived effects.