Loneliness and Child Adjustment during the COVID-19-Lockdown in Germany: The Impact of Family Climate

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Solicited Content: COVID-19 Related

Abstract

Due to the policies owing to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, for children of all ages daily live changed immediately and comprehensively. In Germany, child-care-institutions, schools, zoos and playgrounds closed and personal contact to friends was strictly limited. This led to social isolation and loneliness, which had an impact on the mental health of children (Loades et al., 2020) and went along with higher rates of psychological difficulties and a decline in wellbeing of children (Jiao et al., 2020; Spinelli et al., 2020). Yet, little is known about the underlying effects of staying at home and contact restrictions for the psychological wellbeing of children.
Our study focuses the relationship of loneliness and child adjustment: Is there a relation between loneliness and behavior problems of children during the COVID-19 lockdown in Germany? In Germany, children usually stay in child-care institutions or schools and are in personal contact with their friends. Therefore, we hypothesize, that there is a strong connection between loneliness and behavior problems. Further, we investigate the role of family environment in this interplay: Could parents and siblings buffer the effects of loneliness on children`s well-being?
For answering this research questions we use data from the study “Being a child in times of Corona”, which was collected during the COVID-lockdown in Germany. The study started in April 2020 to monitor effects of the corona crises for children aged 3 to 17. Up to the end of May 2020, 12,628 parents answered the online questionnaire.
By means of regression analyses, we tested on the one hand predictors of loneliness (measured with an adapted version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale; Russell et al, 1980) and behavior problems of children (measured with the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ Goodman, 1997) in different age groups. On the other hand, we analyzed the moderating effect of family climate in the interplay between loneliness and behavior problems.
Our results show that most of the children had no personal contact to friends. In addition, especially the younger children often had very little or no contact to teachers. Much more parents than in common times report feelings of loneliness of their children and emotional problems and hyperactivity/inattention of their children. Parents of younger children and single children report higher levels of loneliness. Greater loneliness is associated with elevated emotional problems and inattention/hyperactivity. There is a moderation effect of family climate: In general, parents who rate family climate better, report lower levels of behavioral problems of their children. Further, the relationship of loneliness and behavioral problems is stronger, if parents report more problems in their family system. The moderating effect of family climate is stronger for emotional problems and for children aged between 11 and 15 years.
This study displays the psychological impact, including loneliness and behavior problems, of the COVID-19 pandemic for children and the importance of family wellbeing for it.

Authors

• Alexandra N. Langmeyer, German Youth Institute
  Presenting Author

• Angelika Guglhör-Rudan, The German Youth Institute
  Non-Presenting Author