Child Maltreatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Consequences of Parental Job Loss on Psychological and Physical Abuse Towards Children

Lawson, Monica; Piel, Megan Hayes; Simon, Michaela

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2020.104709

Cited by 373 publications

(410 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…While psychiatricrelated disorders attributed to the lockdown state have been widely reported in the adult and adolescent literature [36,37], rates of domestic violence and child abuse in particular, have not been adequately studied [15]. Studies on child maltreatment during the pandemic have reported that parental factors including job loss, burnout, anxiety and depression could be contributory factors [38,39]. This again, has practical implications on future lockdown states, where pediatric services must focus not only on managing the acutely unwell child, but also ensure that the mental and social wellbeing of families and children are cared for, particularly in vulnerable families [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergencies and hospitalizations in Singapore

et al. 2020

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Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted the provision of health services in all specialties. We aim to study the impact of COVID-19 on the utilization of pediatric hospital services including emergency department (ED) attendances, hospitalizations, diagnostic categories and resource utilization in Singapore. Methods We performed a retrospective review of ED attendances and hospital admissions among children < 18 years old from January 1st to August 8th 2020 in a major pediatric hospital in Singapore. Data were analyzed in the following time periods: Pre-lockdown (divided by the change in Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level), during-lockdown and post-lockdown. We presented the data using proportions and percentage change in mean counts per day with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results We attended to 58,367 children with a mean age of 5.1 years (standard deviation, SD 4.6). The mean ED attendance decreased by 331 children/day during lockdown compared to baseline (p < 0.001), attributed largely to a drop in respiratory (% change − 87.9, 95% CI − 89.3 to − 86.3, p < 0.001) and gastrointestinal infections (% change − 72.4, 95%CI − 75.9 to − 68.4, p < 0.001). Trauma-related diagnoses decreased at a slower rate across the same periods (% change − 40.0, 95%CI − 44.3 to − 35.3, p < 0.001). We saw 226 children with child abuse, with a greater proportion of total attendance seen post-lockdown (79, 0.6%) compared to baseline (36, 0.2%) (p < 0.001). In terms of ED resource utilization, there was a decrease in the overall mean number of procedures performed per day during the lockdown compared to baseline, driven largely by a reduction in blood investigations (% change − 73.9, 95%CI − 75.9 to − 71.7, p < 0.001). Conclusions We highlighted a significant decrease in infection-related presentations likely attributed to the lockdown and showed that the relative proportion of trauma-related attendances increased. By describing the impact of COVID-19 on health services, we report important trends that may provide guidance when planning resources for future pandemics.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergencies and hospitalizations in Singapore

et al. 2020

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“…If parents use emotion-focused coping strategies, they may seek emotional support or counseling services when they are experiencing negative emotions. Given the complex and increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents that have few appropriate coping strategies may be more likely to maltreat a child (Abramson, 2020;Lawson et al, 2020). Previous literature has shown that abusive parents report a significantly higher level of parenting stress (Miragoli et al, 2016), and this may interfere with their ability to cope effectively with parenting difficulties, thus increasing the likelihood of child maltreatment (McPherson et al, 2009).…”

Section: Coping Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By understanding the nature of the stressors, increasing parental resources, and changing parental perceptions and coping strategies, we may reduce the risk of child maltreatment (Abramson, 2020;Lawson et al, 2020;Ngai et al, 2016). As COVID-19 has transformed our lives in several ways, and it may become a new normal for us, parents and children need to adjust their perceptions about life changes caused by COVID-19 and make corresponding adaptations.…”

Section: Implications For Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Parenting stress and risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A family stress theory-informed perspective

2020

Developmental Child Welfare

140

111

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The risk of child maltreatment is heightened during the pandemic due to multiple COVID-19 related stressors, such as physical and mental health concerns, economic stress, challenges in homeschooling, marital conflicts and intimate personal violence, and intensified child–parent relationships. Both parental internal (e.g., parenting styles) and external resources (e.g., social support), and parental perceptions toward stressors will affect how parents cope with these stressors, which may exacerbate or mitigate the risk of child maltreatment. Guided by family stress theory, this article identifies COVID-19 related stressors at the family level, and further elaborates on how these stressors are associated with child maltreatment via parents’ resources, perceptions, and coping strategies. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.

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“…A prior study found that families with low incomes were more likely to have an adult in the household facing a health problem (Neckerman et al, 2016), which may also explain, in part, why COVID-19 deaths may be skewed toward poorer populations (Finch & Finch, 2020), in addition to risk of more frequent exposure to the virus in higher volumes in essential jobs (Garfield et al, 2020). Many are cautioning that all of these abrupt shifts for families are increasing stress and household conflict, exacerbating mental health challenges, and increasing unhealthy reliance on substances-ultimately putting children in more precarious situations with more potential negative impacts in the long-term (Child Welfare League of Canada [CWLC], 2020; Duan et al, 2020;Lawson et al, 2020;Presse Canadienne, 2020).…”

Section: Determining Which Services Are "Essential"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The way the pandemic will impact child protection systems is not yet fully clear, and may not be for some time. While calls to child protection systems went down in the initial months of the pandemic (e.g., Jonson-Reid et al, 2020;Robson, 2020), the risk of abuse, neglect, and sexual exploitation may have increased (Campbell, 2020;Klein, 2020;Lawson et al, 2020;Rosenthal et al, 2020;Teo & Griffiths, 2020; UNICEF, 2020) but not necessarily be reported due to families' decreased interaction with potential reporters, such as teachers and other school professionals who are typically a substantial source of referrals to child protection systems (e.g., Joh-Carnella et al, 2020; Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). In particular, many child protection researchers and practitioners worry about the compounding impacts of shut-down measures on families who were already in vulnerable economic situations before the pandemic began (Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, 2020; CWLC, 2020; Sistovaris et al, 2020).…”

Section: Determining Which Services Are "Essential"mentioning

confidence: 99%

“Essential” services, risk, and child protection in the time of COVID-19: An opportunity to prioritize chronic need

Caldwell

Delaye

Esposito

et al. 2020

Developmental Child Welfare

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In many North American jurisdictions, socioeconomically vulnerable families are more likely to be involved with child protection systems and experience ongoing challenges. The current public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on these families via unemployment, “essential” work, isolation, and closures of childcare and schools, with negative implications for children’s developmental wellbeing. Experts warn that while child protection referrals have gone down, children who are at risk of maltreatment are less exposed to typical reporters (e.g., school professionals). At the same time, physical distancing measures are prompting many human service settings to shift toward virtual intervention with children and families. In this commentary, we suggest that a focus on short-term risk in the response to COVID-19 may obscure support for children’s long-term outcomes. We propose two policy considerations: (1) in the immediate term, that child protection workers be deemed “essential”; and (2) in the longer term, that permanent, universal basic income guarantees be implemented to support a baseline of predictability both in families’ material wellbeing and in fiscal budgets in the case of a future crisis. As we write, it is impossible to predict the longevity of these closures nor the extent of their impact on children and families. However, the present article mirrors commentary following previous crises noting the importance of going beyond immediate health risk mitigation to consider wellbeing with regard to children’s development and families’ socioeconomic needs in the long term.

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Child Maltreatment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Consequences of Parental Job Loss on Psychological and Physical Abuse Towards Children

Abstract: Highlights Job loss increases risk for psychological and physical abuse during the pandemic. Positive cognitive reframing mitigates risk of job loss on physical abuse. Interventions targeting reframing may decrease risk for abuse during COVID-19.

Cited by 373 publications

References 40 publications

Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergencies and hospitalizations in Singapore

Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergencies and hospitalizations in Singapore

Parenting stress and risk of child maltreatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A family stress theory-informed perspective

“Essential” services, risk, and child protection in the time of COVID-19: An opportunity to prioritize chronic need

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