The Effect of Confinement During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Affect and Behavior

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in worldwide sanitary measures including confinement and social distancing. In the province of Quebec, Canada, schools in the Greater Montreal area were closed from March 13th to August 27th 2020, which potentially affected the social lives of children who were confined to home and had to limit social contacts, with possible repercussions on their behavior and emotional state.

Goals: Using a mixed method design, the study aimed to document changes in child behavior and aspects of mental health before and during confinement.

Method: 69 parents and their children (5-14 years) participated in the study. Parents completed the Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to document child behavior and the Coronavirus Health Impact Survey (CRISIS), which includes questions pertaining to child emotional state including worry, happiness, anxiety, restlessness, fatigue, irritability and loneliness. The results were compared 3 months before and during confinement (March 13 to mid-June 2020). Children (N = 67) also participated in a qualitative interview including 15 questions covering topics related to friendships, socialization, virtual communication and perspectives on the challenges encountered during the pandemic. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded (NVivo). Qualitative and thematic content analysis were used to highlight central themes.

Analysis and results : According to their parents, children exhibited more behavior and affective problems during confinement than before the start of the pandemic (Figure 1 and table 1), including social problems (t = -3.23, p = .002), internalizing symptoms (t = -2.43, p = .018), worry (t = -2.79, p = .007), loneliness (t = -7.21, p = .001) and reduced happiness (t = 4.04, p = .001), as well as a higher levels of irritability (t = -2.95, p = .004). Thematic content analysis performed on the interviews indicates that the majority of children did not evoke statements representative of negative affect, despite the restrictions surrounding confinement. However, a non-negligible minority did report affective changes along two main themes. 1) Emotions and mood including sadness (31,3%), loneliness (17,9 %), boredom (22,39%), frustration (20,89%) and disappointment (13,43%), and 2) Difficulties encountered during confinement concerning conflicts with siblings (20,90%).

Discussion: This mixed-methods study suggests that prolonged periods of confinement may affect child behavior and mental health, but that mental health issues are not universal. Parent perceptions appear to align with those of some children, who report experiencing negative affect and behavioral change. While the exact restrictions imposed in Quebec, Canada, may differ from those in other countries and regions, the findings do provide indications on the need to monitor child functioning and affective state as further stages of the global pandemic evolve.

Authors

• Olivier Aubuchon, Montreal university
  Presenting Author

• Danaë Larivière-Bastien, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aurélie Blondin, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Dominique Dupont
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jamie Libenstein, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Florence Séguin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alexandra Tremblay, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hamza Zarglayoun
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catherine M Herba, Université du Québec à Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Miriam Helen Beauchamp, Université de Montréal (UdeM)
  Non-Presenting Author