The onset of the pandemic created sudden disruptive changes to quotidian
life. Many young adults in America have experienced a loss of relatedness
to the future self. Familism refers to the value of placing the family
above the individual through obligation, support, and reference. This
research examined whether familism acted as a protective factor to the
effect of loss of relatedness on hope during the pandemic. Participants
were fourth year American college students (*N* = 133), 59.4% of whom were
White. Participants took a survey at two timepoints: at the beginning of
their fourth year of college in August 2019, and after the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic in March and April, 2020. Participants who reported lower
relatedness to the future self after the onset of the pandemic were less
hopeful about the future. However, familism moderated the effect of the
loss of relatedness on hope. Those with high familism remained hopeful
despite their loss of connectedness to their personal future, suggesting
that collectivistic values such as familism may act as a buffer against the
uncertainties brought on by a global crisis in a generally individualistic
culture.