Study problems and depressive symptoms in adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak: poor parent-child relationship as a vulnerability

Abstract

Background Little is known about the prevalence of and risk factors for adolescent mental health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms, their association with study-relevant problems, and the moderating effect of parent-child relationship among Chinese adolescents during the school closures. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis with data collected in middle and high schools in Taizhou, China. Students completed an online survey between April 16 and May 14, 2020. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Children’s Depression Inventory. Three types of study problems were recorded, including having difficulty in studying at home, dislike of remote learning, and excessive screen entertainment time. Parental relationships were categorized into good or normal relationship and poor relationship. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between study-relevant problems and depressive symptoms. Results Using data from 6435 adolescents, we found that the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17.7%. All the study problem measures were associated with more severe depressive symptoms. There was a moderating effect of the parental relationship on the associations between study problems and depressive symptoms. The association between number of study problems and depressive symptoms was stronger in adolescents with a poor parent-child relationship (regression coefficient 4.34 [95% CI 2.97, 5.72]) than those with a good or normal relationship (2.55 [2.35, 2.75]), p for interaction 0.002, on multivariable adjustment. Conclusions Study problems due to school closures were particularly problematic for adolescents who had poor parent-child relationships. Public health initiatives could help students to adjust study habits and improve parent-child relationships, thereby protecting against the development of depression.

Mental Health Problems Among School-Aged Children After School Reopening: A Cross-Sectional Study During the COVID-19 Post-pandemic in East China

“…Parents had to manage multiple tasks and spend much more time with their children, thus increasing the risk of conflict between them. A study conducted in Taizhou reported that when students had study problems due to school closures, those with poor parent–child relationship were particularly vulnerable to depressive symptoms ( Wang et al, 2021 ). On the contrary, harmonious parent–child relationship, especially parental supportive behaviors and responsive parenting, tend to alleviate the effects of stressors on children’s mental health and promote their prosocial behavior ( Eisenberg et al, 2019 ; Tang et al, 2020 ).…”

Mental Health Profiles in a Sample of Moroccan High School Students: Comparison Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Our results show that Moroccan high school students (males and females) reported more symptoms coupled to depression and paranoid ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the before-COVID-19 period. This increase in depression symptoms reported by students from the 2020 sample could be associated with a higher likelihood of perceiving deteriorations induced by the COVID-19 pandemic in different areas of daily life, including conflict with family members; loneliness; and worry about their studies, relationships with peers, and health (20,(77)(78)(79)(80)(81). Indeed, Magson et al (77) found that increased conflict with fathers was associated with more depressive symptoms; this conflict may reflect a developmental gap in the inherent desire of adolescents to connect with their peers and seek greater autonomy from their parents (82).…”

Impact of COVID-19 Related Knowledge and Precautions on Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Children During the Post-pandemic in China: The Explanatory Value of Emotional Problems Among Caregivers

“…Although the education sector had launched online education to minimize the learning loss, there were still a substantial proportion of students who were not satisfied with online education and were not participating effectively, especially those from families or regions with lower socioeconomic status (Ma et al, 2021). The problems related to studies, such as having difficulty in studying at home and dislike of remote learning, have been reported to be prevalent among adolescents during the closure of schools, and they were associated with more severe depressive symptoms (Wang et al, 2021). Among hospitals that provide mental health services to children and adolescents in China, 9% closed their outpatient units and 25% closed inpatient wards during the COVID-19 outbreak (Cui et al, 2020).…”