Children’s Mental Health Problems during the Emergence of COVID-19

• In Event: Trajectories of Family Mental Health During COVID-19: A Focus on Socioeconomic Contexts

Abstract

Introduction
In recent months, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing the disease now known as COVID-19 spread globally, developing into a pandemic, as announced by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. The consequences in Toronto of the pandemic outbreak and WHO pandemic announcement was predictable and consistent with other afflicted cities (e.g., hoarding, economic threats, travel restrictions, social distancing, mandated isolation, etc.), including the decision by the Ontario government to close all publicly funded schools and licensed childcare centers beginning in March. For many families and individuals, this led to unparalleled life changes and consequences. The impacts of these consequences on children’s mental health have yet to be rigorously explored, with the early effects of the pandemic on children’s mental health remaining minimally investigated. At the time of the pandemic announcements and mandated closures, active data collection on children’s mental health and development were underway at multiple early childhood education centers in Toronto (Canada), creating a natural experiment investigating changes in children’s mental health from January to late March 2020, a period spanning early reports of the novel coronavirus to about a week following the WHO’s declaration of a global pandemic.

Hypotheses
It was hypothesized that increases in children’s mental health problems would be observed across the entire sample following the pandemic announcement.

Study Population
Participants were children (N=235; female n=106 [45.1%]) ages 3 to 12 years (average age = 5.27 years, SD=2.18) in 22 early childhood education classrooms across Toronto (Canada).

Methods
Using a regression discontinuity natural experiment via a longitudinal cohort design, the present study examines the trajectories of children’s mental health from December 2019 to March 2020. Children’s mental health was assessed via educator reports on the Total Difficulties Scale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in gender adjusted percentiles, with the Impairment Rating Scale utilized as a secondary measure. Children were nested in one of 22 possible classrooms across four sites, resulting in a 3-level data hierarchy (656 repeated measures, for N=235 children, in 22 classrooms). Thus, data were analyzed with 3-level (classroom, individual, time) MCMC growth curve models. Of the three assessments per child, many of the final assessments occurred formally after the pandemic announcement (143 out of 214 [66.8%]) and prior to the closing of childcare.

Results
Results indicate that male children enrolled in early childhood education showed a significant and modest decline in mental health problems prior to the pandemic announcement. However, following the announcement, male children’s mental health problems worsened significantly. No differences over time were observed for females. Figure 1 demonstrates these patterns of change. This study provides evidence of heightened risk to children’s mental health, particularly males, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the WHO pandemic announcement date of March 11, 2020 reflecting a moment in time of significant change. Findings support initiatives aimed at increasing access to (telehealth) mental health care for children, home-based educational services, and parental supports during this unprecedented time.

Authors

• Shealyn S May, University of Waterloo
  Presenting Author

• Laura Colucci, University of Waterloo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dillon Browne, University of Waterloo
  Non-Presenting Author