The transmission of psychological distress and lifestyles from parents to children during COVID-19

•COVID-19 pandemic could lead to more mental health problems among children. However, previous research did not examine the transmission of psychological distress from parents to children and whether lifestyles tied to transmission.•Parents’ depression, anxiety, COVID-19 related worries, physical exercise and screen time positively predicted their children's depression, anxiety, COVID-19 related worries, physical exercise and screen time, respectively.•Parents’ COVID-19 related worries and lifestyles increased children's depression and anxiety via children's COVID-19 related worries and lifestyles, as well as parents’ depression and anxiety.•Complex dynamic transitions of psychological distress and lifestyles exist in family when face to public events, and interventions of parents’ psychological distress and lifestyles will improve family resilience. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak had rapidly become a global health threat, and its impact on the mental health was transmitted among different populations, especially from parents to children. The study aimed to investigate Chinese parents’ influence on their children, in terms of mental health and lifestyles (screen time and physical exercise), during the COVID-19. Self-reported online questionnaires of depression, anxiety, COVID-19 related worries, physical exercise, and screen time were completed by 3471 Chinese children and one of their parents (1514 fathers and 1957 mothers), during the COVID-19 epidemic in February 2020. Path analysis was used to examine the extent of transmission of psychological distress and whether lifestyles tied to transmission. During the quarantine, Chinese parents’ depression and anxiety both positively predicted their children's depression and anxiety; parents’ COVID-19 related worries, physical exercise and screen time separately had positive effects on children's COVID-19 related worries, physical exercise and screen time; parents’ depression and anxiety were positively influenced by their COVID-19 related worries, self-quarantine and quarantine of family members, relatives or friends; children's depression and anxiety positively predicted their non-suicidal self-injury and suicide ideation. Bootstrap analyses showed that parents’ COVID-19 related worries and lifestyles increased children's depression and anxiety via children's COVID-19 related worries and lifestyles, as well as parents’ depression and anxiety. When families face to public events, parents’ psy