Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with and without affective dysregulation and their families

Abstract

Analyzing COVID-19-related stress in children with affective dysregulation (AD) seems especially interesting, as these children typically show heightened reactivity to potential stressors and an increased use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies. Children in out-of-home care often show similar characteristics to those with AD. Since COVID-19 has led to interruptions in psychotherapy for children with mental health problems and to potentially reduced resources to implement treatment strategies in daily life in families or in out-of-home care, these children might show a particularly strong increase in stress levels. In this study, 512 families of children without AD and 269 families of children with AD reported on COVID-19-related stress. The sample comprised screened community, clinical, and out-of-home care samples. Sociodemographic factors, characteristics of child and caregiver before the pandemic, and perceived change in external conditions due to the pandemic were examined as potential risk or protective factors. Interestingly, only small differences emerged between families of children with and without AD or between subsamples: families of children with AD and families in out-of-home care were affected slightly more, but in few domains. Improvements and deteriorations in treatment-related effects balanced each other out. Overall, the most stable and strongest risk factor for COVID-19-related stress was perceived negative change in external conditions—particularly family conditions and leisure options. Additionally, caregiver characteristics emerged as risk factors across most models. Actions to support families during the pandemic should, therefore, facilitate external conditions and focus on caregiver characteristic to reduce familial COVID-19-related stress. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS), ADOPT Online: DRKS00014963 registered 27 June 2018, ADOPT Treatment: DRKS00013317 registered 27 September 2018, ADOPT Institution: DRKS00014581 registered 04 July 2018.

Resilience anchors for children in an out-of-home care institution during and after COVID-19

“…Children in care institutions were perhaps in more difficult circumstances, since the abrupt changes brought about by the pandemic added to the changes they had already experienced in their lives. As Treier et al (2022 , p. 951) noted, at-risk children with affective dysregulation and those in out-of-home care contexts exhibited elevated reactivity to stressors and maladaptive emotional regulation coping strategies. This is indicative of vulnerability.…”

An integrated vision of overcoming the developmental disruptions of COVID-19

“…For learners, their socio-ecological systems, such as schools and communities, were disrupted and disabled to function, rendering them vulnerable. A study by Treier et al (2023) shows that vulnerable children, such as those with affective dysregulation and those in out-of-home care contexts, exhibited elevated reactivity to stressors and maladaptive emotion regulation coping strategies. The disequilibrium resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown worsened their plight, as they could not access the resilience-promoting psycho-social support in their schools and communities.…”

Towards a holistic theoretical approach to learner development in the midst of and post-COVID-19

“…For learners, their socio-ecological systems, such as schools and communities, were disrupted and disabled to function, rendering them vulnerable. A study by Treier et al (2023) shows that vulnerable children, such as those with affective dysregulation and those in out-of-home care contexts, exhibited elevated reactivity to stressors and maladaptive emotion regulation coping strategies. The disequilibrium resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown worsened their plight, as they could not access the resilience-promoting psycho-social support in their schools and communities.…”