Understanding why the COVID‐19 pandemic‐related lockdown increases mental health difficulties in vulnerable young children

Abstract

Background:The mental health consequences of school closure, social isolation, increased financial and emotional stress, and greater exposure to family conflicts are likely to be pronounced for primary school children who are known to be vulnerable. Data from prior to the pandemic are needed to provide robust assessments of the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable children. Method:The present study capitalises on an ongoing study of primary school children (4-8 years) identified as 'at-risk' for mental health problems by teachers.We collected mental health and socio-economic data prior to the pandemic and reassessed this cohort (n = 142) via researcher-led video calls during the pandemic to evaluate the social and emotional impacts of COVID-19 for these families.Results: Mental health problems, particularly anxiety, increased significantly in these children. Parental mental health difficulties (anxiety and depression) were also prevalent. There were higher reports of financial stress during lockdown amongst low-income families previously identified as living in poverty, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial strain was found to indirectly predict increases in child mental health problems through parental mental health. Conclusion:These findings show that the pandemic exacerbated mental health problems in already vulnerable children. These negative outcomes were explained by financial stress (e.g., lost employment, loss of income and inability to pay bills), which was negatively linked to parental mental health. K E Y W O R D Sanxiety, child mental health, COVID-19, parent mental health, povertyThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Children’s Psychological Reactions to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The change was most prominent in internalizing problems with increased generalized anxiety, panic and somatic symptoms, and school anxiety and decreased social and separation anxiety. There was no increase in externalizing problems in this sample which had high levels of externalizing problems at baseline [36].…”

“…As noted earlier, some types of anxiety (e.g., social anxiety, separation anxiety, performance anxiety) may have decreased in the context of home confinement because the usual pressures associated with school and social interactions were lessened. In the study of Welsh children by Adegboye and colleagues [36], generalized anxiety, panic and somatic symptoms, and school anxiety increased while social and separation anxiety decreased. Thus, children with social anxiety, social phobia, performance anxiety, and/or agoraphobia may experience temporary symptom reduction with school closure, physical distancing, and a decrease in daily stresses.…”

“…In a study of Welsh primary school students (aged 4 to 8 years at initial assessment before the pandemic and 5 to 10 years during lockdown), identified by their teachers as being at risk for mental health problems, Adegboye and colleagues [36] found high and increased levels of mental health problems during the pandemic lockdown. The change was most prominent in internalizing problems with increased generalized anxiety, panic and somatic symptoms, and school anxiety and decreased social and separation anxiety.…”

Lifestyle Changes, Mental Health, and Health-related Quality of Life in Children Aged 6-7 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Germany

“…Further investigations could account for previous/existing mental health problems in children and parents, as it was shown that especially vulnerable groups suffer more under the pandemic and that parents mental health during the pandemic was related to the child-SDQ-scores. 30 This could shed light on the intended hypothesis, that supporting parent's mental health might also be helpful for protecting children's mental health. Further analyses should also take data for living-situations and family compositions into account.…”

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child and adolescent mental health services

“…5 A study looking at primary school children found that financial strain within the family was linked to increased mental health difficulties in children because of an increase in parental anxiety and depression. 6…”