Abstract

Background: Lockdown measures were taken in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, from March to June 2020 to contain the spread of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19). Parents experienced more stress as they remained at home with their children, and the present study aimed to assess parents’ perceived stress levels and their contributing factors.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2020. The instrument used was a self-reported questionnaire comprised of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale.
Results: Most participants were females (75.81%) aged 40-49 years (43.1%). The most affected group were females aged 30-39. More than half of the participants reported moderate stress levels (68.1%); however, only (4.7%) reported high-stress levels. A higher educational level and not working or studying were associated with perceived higher stress levels.
Conclusion: This study showed high to moderate stress levels among parents in Mecca during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is needed to determine if these perceived stress levels have been resolved and if further interventions could benefit parents.

Key words: Perceived stress, quarantine, parental stress, mental health, COVID-19